There was standing room only as harm reduction experts took questions from aspiring politicians in Sweden on the role that snus & nicotine pouches could play in reducing global smoking rates.
The panels at the event held by Considerate Pouchers Sweden discussed why Swedish politicians had failed to promote the country's success in eliminating smoking through harm reduction methods like vaping and pouches in the face of increased EU aggression toward both.
Global Context and EU Stance
Globally, more than eight million people die prematurely each year due to tobacco-related diseases. Despite this, the EU, under the guidance of the World Health Organisation, have encouraged policies that have seen both vaping and pouches in the crosshairs of several governments through increased regulation and taxes.
Sweden is exempt from the Europe-wide ban of snus, but would not be entitled to a pass on nicotine pouches if restrictions were introduced.
Event Details and Participants
The Q&A featured a range of experts from harm reduction advocates and journalists to some of Sweden's brightest young political minds representing respective parties at the event in Visby, Sweden on Thursday night.
The experts at the Considerate Pouchers event were Mark Oates, founder of the UK Snus Users Alliance & Director of We Vape, Martin Cullip, International Fellow of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Stefan Mathisson, journalist and founder and editor of the magazine Vejpkollen.se, Samuel Lundell, Chairman of the Swedish Snus Users Association and Patrik Strömer, Secretary General of the Swedish Snus Manufacturers' Association.
The political panel consisted of Nils Nilsson Puronen, 2nd Vice Chairman of the Center Party Youth League, Noa Cortinez Samenius, District Chairman of the Moderate Youth League in Stockholm and Marcus Sjöblom, Secretary General of the Christian Democratic Youth League.
Carissa Düring, moderator and Director of Considerate Pouchers in Sweden, said: "We had an amazing, standing-room-only audience which included many young people who represent the future of politics in this country."Sweden's success in beating smoking came through harm reduction tools like nicotine pouches, vaping and snus, and to see these attacked in the EU shows a complete lack of awareness at how effective they are at stopping people smoking.
"Our politicians are naive about our success and are not pushing back against an EU that wants vaping and pouches banned. This is a real threat and European policymakers need to know just how much nicotine pouches helped Sweden all but eradicate smoking, one of the biggest causes of premature death worldwide each year, before making rash decisions that will eventually cost lives.
"The panel did an amazing job of explaining where we are, the threats we face and making it clear political representatives need to start speaking out against restrictions on life-saving tools.
"I hope this highly engaged audience took away the importance of pouches not just in Sweden, but globally. They must convey to the rest of their parties just how well Sweden has done to beat smoking, why this should be celebrated on the international stage and the critical role pouches and harm reduction play in wiping out cigarettes."
The Swedish Experience
The discussed 'The Swedish Experience' and harm reduction model, which has left the country with the lowest smoking rates in Europe, at 5% of adults. This makes them a 'smoke-free nation'.
As a result of its harm reduction approach, Sweden has a 41% lower cancer rate and 38% lower cancer mortality compared to the rest of the EU. Its model is credited with a dramatic 55% decline in smoking in the past decade alone.
Event Outcomes and Future Implications
Ms During said: "Our model works and should be used as a blueprint for any forward-thinking nation that takes eradicating smoking and the health of its people seriously.”
Martin Cullip (International Fellow at The Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center) also caught up with the Daily Pouch team his insight -
"Almedalen Week was a real eye-opener. It was heartening to see activists from all sides of the political spectrum discussing policies in a respectful manner in gardens, terraces, rooms in many types of buildings including the church, and wherever else a discussion could take place. It seems other countries have a lot to learn from Sweden about how to conduct politics, as well as its world-leading stance on harm reduction."
"It was a privilege to have been invited to speak at the Considerate Pouchers event and great to experience the Swedish phenomenon first hand. In three days on the busy streets of Visby, I saw just one person smoking, whilst snus and nicotine pouch use was widespread in the bars and restaurants of the town."
"Many of the audience who hung around to mingle after the event said they found it interesting to hear the international view of their successful tobacco and nicotine policy and appreciated our call for Swedish politicians to be more proactive in promoting their approach on the world stage. The threat to pouches from the EU is real and would severely degrade Sweden's liberal relationship with safer nicotine use. It is vital that Sweden robustly resists the EU's threats towards safer nicotine products."
