A campaign called Smoke Free Sweden, led by South African doctor Delon Human, has been spreading the message that Sweden defeated smoking with the help of white snus and other smoke-free nicotine products. The campaign, which features a five-meter tall inflatable cigarette outside the European Parliament in Brussels and activists dressed as Vikings, urges others to learn from Sweden. However, according to Sveriges Radio reporter Daniel Öhman, the claim that Sweden defeated smoking with snus lacks scientific evidence.
Several organizations spreading the message about snus are linked to the international tobacco industry. Delon Human and his company have had a long-term collaboration with British American Tobacco (BAT), owner of Velo, Sweden's most sold white snus. An older version of Human's company website stated that its work in advancing tobacco harm reduction policies is in partnership with Nicoventures, a BAT subsidiary.
We are trying to promote snus and nicotine pouches so that it will not be overregulated or banned.
BAT also supports an American lobby organization behind consumer groups that beat on the inflatable cigarette in Brussels, the World Vaper's Alliance and Consumer Choice Center. The Consumer Choice Center states that its contributors support their work because they like it and that the organization draws a sharp line between its funding and editorial decisions. According to Sveriges Radio, Swedish politicians in the EU use arguments that come directly from the tobacco industry.
An investigation by Sveriges Radio's Ekot program challenges the narrative that snus drove the smoking decline in Sweden. According to Ekot's investigation, women caught up with men in quitting smoking before white snus became widespread. In 2018, the year before white snus broke through broadly, the gender difference in smoking had practically disappeared.
When white snus was launched, Swedish women made the switch.
Over ten years, the proportion of female smokers halved without a significant increase in snus use. Since 2018, smoking has continued to decline but not faster for women than for men. According to Ekot, the argument that snus reduces smoking is not supported by researchers, based on one source.
Several EU member states are moving to ban or restrict white snus. Belgium was the first to introduce a total ban in 2023. Lithuania, France, the Netherlands, and parts of Germany have introduced legislation to restrict white snus.
We are not well-financed and we do this out of love.
Austria has proposed legislation to ban online sales and set new limits on nicotine content. In early 2025, France and Spain announced they want to ban white snus, citing potential harm to public health, especially among young people. Sweden is fighting back with trade objections.
The Swedish government considers Austria's proposed rules to conflict with the EU principle of free movement of goods and has issued a detailed opinion to force a three-month pause. However, previous Swedish objections against France and Spain have not led to changed legislation or EU Commission support for Sweden's line. The Swedish government wrote in one of its protests that a ban 'risks having negative public health consequences'.
We have worked with several companies in the tobacco field.
The Swedish National Board of Trade (Kommerskollegium) handled the cases and recommended the government to protest, stating that white snus has contributed to reducing smoking in Sweden. However, the Swedish Public Health Agency (Folkhälsomyndigheten) states there is nothing in research showing that snus or white snus is an effective smoking cessation tool. Kommerskollegium confirmed that the claim about documented harm-reducing effect came from consultation responses, including from the tobacco industry, and stated they should have reviewed the responses more carefully.
The EU's new compromise proposal on tobacco tax includes white snus, with a tax of 85 euros per kilo, estimated to increase the price by about 16 kronor per can. S-Studenter (Social Democrats' Student Union) is critical of the proposal, arguing that taxation of tobacco and nicotine products is a national matter. The trade union Livs has also criticized the proposal, stating that goods should be taxed nationally.
Indirectly we work with many.
Politicians are defending their positions amid controversy. Minister for International Development and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa (M) has used the argument that snus reduces smoking in the EU after Kommerskollegium recommended it. Dousa stated in a written comment that he has held this opinion for over 15 years and has not been influenced by any lobbying.
According to Sveriges Radio, MP Nils Seye Larsen (Miljöpartiet) demands answers from Dousa about why the government promotes tobacco industry interests. Left Party politician Karin Rågsjö has called Health Minister Elisabet Lann (KD) to the social affairs committee to demand answers. Social Democrats' group leader Lena Hallengren reacts strongly, saying it is remarkable that the government runs errands for lobby groups.
I think it is quite remarkable that we have a government that runs errands for various lobby groups.