The ‘Swedish model’: a myth created by the tobacco industry to promote its nicotine products

The tobacco industry likes to hold up the “Swedish model” as an example to promote its “new” nicotine-containing products. Its argument? The country has one of the lowest smoking rates in Europe, a success that the industry claims is due to the availability of oral nicotine products and regulations that are particularly favorable to these alternatives. However, the facts clearly show that the decline in smoking is not attributable to these products, but rather to the implementation of effective public health policies. Check out our fact sheet on this topic.

This approach is part of the “harm reduction” strategy promoted by the tobacco industry, which seeks to portray itself as a stakeholder committed to public health while defending its commercial interests. To better understand the issues and contradictions of this strategy, see our feature: Harm reduction and ‘new’ tobacco and nicotine products – The industry’s misleading narrative.