On November 13, 2024, Sweden became the first country in Europe to officially achieve “smoke-free” status, with just 4.5% of its Swedish-born adults smoking. This milestone, reached 16 years ahead of the European Union target, offers a profound lesson for Nigeria and the global community: there is a practical way to effective tobacco control with determination and the right policies in place. In the 1960s, nearly half of Swedish men smoked, a figure that has now plummeted due to the country’s embrace of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) strategies. By making alternative nicotine products such as snus, oral nicotine pouches, and e-cigarettes accessible, affordable, and widely accepted, Sweden has dramatically reduced its smoking rates.
Sweden’s success is not about prohibition but pragmatism. The Swedish government supported public health campaigns to raise awareness about safer alternatives, implemented proportional excise taxes to make these products more affordable than cigarettes, and encouraged consumer choice. The result? Sweden now boasts the lowest rates of tobacco-related diseases and cancer in the European Union.
In Nigeria, smoking prevalence remains a pressing public health concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 8% of Nigerians use tobacco, contributing to preventable diseases like cancer, respiratory ailments, and cardiovascular conditions. Despite awareness campaigns, progress has been slow, largely due to rigid tobacco control policies that focus on prohibition rather than harm reduction.
Sweden’s journey shows us a better path—one that embraces science-backed, harm-reduction strategies to encourage smokers to transition to safer alternatives.
Tobacco Harm Reduction acknowledges that while quitting all nicotine use is ideal, many smokers struggle to quit entirely. Safer alternatives like vaping devices, nicotine pouches, andsnus, provide a less harmful option for smokers.
Nigeria’s regulatory framework must evolve to include these alternatives as part of its national tobacco control strategy. By doing so, we can replicate Sweden’s success and create an environment where fewer Nigerians smoke and tobacco-related diseases decline.
Key steps include:
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Education about the relative risks of various nicotine products is crucial. Swedes were informed about safer options, and Nigeria can do the same to empower its citizens with knowledge.
- Legalizing and Regulating Safer Nicotine Products: Like Sweden, Nigeria should make alternative nicotine products legally available, with appropriate quality and safety standards.
- Tax Reforms: A proportional excise tax system should ensure that safer alternatives remain more affordable than traditional cigarettes, incentivizing smokers to switch.
- Encouraging Industry Collaboration: Engaging stakeholders in the private sector can foster innovation and distribution of harm-reduction products, expanding access nationwide.
Adopting harm-reduction strategies will lead to tangible benefits for Nigerians. Tobacco-related diseases impose a significant burden on our healthcare system, and reducing smoking prevalence will alleviate this strain. Furthermore, by preventing tobacco-related illnesses, we can increase national productivity and reduce poverty among families grappling with smoking-induced health crises.
Sweden’s achievement as Europe’s first smoke-free nation is a beacon of hope. It shows that tobacco harm reduction, not prohibition, is the way forward. Nigeria has the potential to emulate this success and save millions of lives.
Policymakers, public health advocates, and industry stakeholders in Nigeria are urged to adopt Sweden’s pragmatic approach. Together, we can chart a path to a smoke-free Nigeria—one where our citizens are healthier, our healthcare systems stronger, and our future brighter.
The time to act is now. Let us seize this opportunity to transform Nigeria into a model for tobacco harm reduction in Africa and beyond.
Dr. Puddicombe, a public health expert, writes from Lagos.
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