Today, the Swedes have officially become smoke-free. Smoking prevalence across the country reduced to 5.3%. Remarkably, among those who have been benefited from Swedish policies during their entire life, it reduced to 4.5%. People from other countries in Europe who have moved to Sweden would be three times more likely to smoke if they had not moved (24%1 vs 7.8%).
Quit Like Sweden, a platform dedicated to sharing the “Swedish Experience,” is celebrating this milestone with calls for other nations to improve millions of lives around the world.
“This isn’t just Sweden’s victory – it’s a proof of concept for the entire world,” said Suely Castro, Founder of Quit Like Sweden.
“Today, we can celebrate a public health revolution. By complementing smoking cessation and prevention measures and programmes with Accessible, Acceptable, and Affordable alternatives to smoking, Sweden has proven that a world with fewer smoking-related deaths and illnesses isn’t just a dream: it’s achievable. Now we need the global will to make this a worldwide success.”
About Quit Like Sweden
Quit Like Sweden is a non-profit platform committed to helping countries adopting the Swedish Experience in reducing smoking prevalence, by combining cessation and prevention measures and programmes with accessible, acceptable, and affordable alternatives.
1 European Commission, Special Eurobarometer 539 – Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products, 2024 (available at https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995)