Sweden Close to Becoming First 'Smoke Free' Country in Europe as Daily Use of Cigarettes Dwindles

FILE - A no smoking sign is seen at a bus stop in Stockholm, Sweden, June 25, 2019. (Magnus Andersson /TT News Agency via AP, File)
FILE - A no smoking sign is seen at a bus stop in Stockholm, Sweden, June 25, 2019. (Magnus Andersson /TT News Agency via AP, File)
TT

Sweden Close to Becoming First 'Smoke Free' Country in Europe as Daily Use of Cigarettes Dwindles

FILE - A no smoking sign is seen at a bus stop in Stockholm, Sweden, June 25, 2019. (Magnus Andersson /TT News Agency via AP, File)
FILE - A no smoking sign is seen at a bus stop in Stockholm, Sweden, June 25, 2019. (Magnus Andersson /TT News Agency via AP, File)

Summer is in the air, cigarette smoke is not, in Sweden's outdoor bars and restaurants.

As the World Health Organization marks “World No Tobacco Day” on Wednesday, Sweden, which has the lowest rate of smoking in the Europe Union, is close to declaring itself “smoke free” — defined as having fewer than 5% daily smokers in the population.

Many experts give credit to decades of anti-smoking campaigns and legislation, while others point to the prevalence of “snus,” a smokeless tobacco product that is banned elsewhere in the EU but is marketed in Sweden as an alternative to cigarettes, The Associated Press said.

Whatever the reason, the 5% milestone is now within reach. Only 6.4% of Swedes over 15 were daily smokers in 2019, the lowest in the EU and far below the average of 18.5% across the 27-nation bloc, according to the Eurostat statistics agency.

Figures from the Public Health Agency of Sweden show the smoking rate has continued to fall since then, reaching 5.6% last year.

“We like a healthy way to live, I think that’s the reason,” said Carina Astorsson, a Stockholm resident. Smoking never interested her, she added, because “I don’t like the smell; I want to take care of my body.”

The risks of smoking appear well understood among health-conscious Swedes, including younger generations. Twenty years ago, almost 20% of the population were smokers — which was a low rate globally at the time. Since then, measures to discourage smoking have brought down smoking rates across Europe, including bans on smoking in restaurants.

France saw record drops in smoking rates from 2014 to 2019 but that success hit a plateau during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — blamed in part for causing stresses that drove people to light up. About one-third of people aged 18 to 75 in France professed to having smoked in 2021 — a slight increase on 2019. About a quarter smoke daily.

Sweden has gone further than most to stamp out cigarettes, and says it’s resulted in a range of health benefits, including a relatively low rate of lung cancer.

“We were early in restricting smoking in public spaces, first in school playgrounds and after-school centers, and later in restaurants, outdoor cafes and public places such as bus stations,” said Ulrika Årehed, secretary-general of the Swedish Cancer Society. “In parallel, taxes on cigarettes and strict restrictions on the marketing of these products have played an important role.”

She added that “Sweden is not there yet,” noting that the proportion of smokers is higher in disadvantaged socio-economic groups.

The sight of people lighting up is becoming increasingly rare in the country of 10.5 million. Smoking is prohibited at bus stops and train platforms and outside the entrances of hospitals and other public buildings. Like in most of Europe, smoking isn’t allowed inside bars and restaurants, but since 2019 Sweden’s smoking ban also applies to their outdoor seating areas.

On Tuesday night, the terraces of Stockholm were full of people enjoying food and drinks in the late-setting sun. There was no sign of cigarettes, but cans of snus could be spotted on some tables. Between beers, some patrons stuffed small pouches of the moist tobacco under their upper lips.

Swedish snus makers have long held up their product as a less harmful alternative to smoking and claim credit for the country’s declining smoking rates. But Swedish health authorities are reluctant to advise smokers to switch to snus, another highly addictive nicotine product.

“I don’t see any reason to put two harmful products up against each other,” Årehed said. “It is true that smoking is more harmful than most things you can do, including snus. But that said, there are many health risks even with snus.”

Some studies have linked snus to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and premature births if used during pregnancy.

Swedes are so fond of their snus, a distant cousin of dipping tobacco in the United States, that they demanded an exemption to the EU’s ban on smokeless tobacco when they joined the bloc in 1995.

“It’s part of the Swedish culture, it’s like the Swedish equivalent of Italian Parma ham or any other cultural habit,” said Patrik Hildingsson, a spokesman for Swedish Match, Sweden’s top snus maker, which was acquired by tobacco giant Philip Morris last year.

He said policymakers should encourage the tobacco industry to develop less harmful alternatives to smoking such as snus and e-cigarettes.

“I mean, 1.2 billion smokers are still out there in the world. Some 100 million people smoke daily in the EU. And I think we can (only) go so far with policymaking regulations,” he said. “You will need to give the smokers other less harmful alternatives, and a range of them.”

WHO, the UN health agency, says Turkmenistan, with a rate of tobacco use below 5%, is ahead of Sweden when it comes to phasing out smoking, but notes that’s largely due to smoking being almost nonexistent among women. For men the rate is 7%.

WHO attributes Sweden’s declining smoking rate to a combination of tobacco control measures, including information campaigns, advertising bans and “cessation support” for those wishing to quit tobacco. However, the agency noted that Sweden’s tobacco use is at more than 20% of the adult population, similar to the global average, when you include snus and similar products.

“Switching from one harmful product to another is not a solution,” WHO said in an email. “Promoting a so-called ‘harm reduction approach’ to smoking is another way the tobacco industry is trying to mislead people about the inherently dangerous nature of these products.”

Tove Marina Sohlberg, a researcher at Stockholm University’s Department of Public Health Sciences, said Sweden’s anti-smoking policies have had the effect of stigmatizing smoking and smokers, pushing them away from public spaces into backyards and designated smoking areas.

“We are sending signals to the smokers that this is not accepted by society,” she said.

Paul Monja, one of Stockholm’s few remaining smokers, reflected on his habit while getting ready to light up.

“It’s an addiction, one that I aim to stop at some point,” he said. “Maybe not today, perhaps tomorrow”.



KAUST Launches Pioneering Centers of Excellence to Address Key National, International Priorities

Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)
TT

KAUST Launches Pioneering Centers of Excellence to Address Key National, International Priorities

Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced on Sunday the launch of four pioneering Centers of Excellence (CoEs) to drive research and development in priority national and international fields.

The move brings KAUST further in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and is fundamental to its Accelerating Impact strategy that strengthens its position as a "global leader in applied science", said KAUST in a statement.

The newly established CoEs, each led by renowned experts, will tackle issues concerning health and wellness, sustainable environment and essential needs, energy and industrial leadership, and economies of the future. They are crucial to KAUST’s goal of providing impactful solutions that support national economic objectives.

The Center of Excellence for Generative AI, led by professors Bernard Ghanem and Juergen Schmidhuber, will spearhead the development of general-purpose AI models that can be tailored to meet the unique demands of the Kingdom’s research, development, and innovation (RDI) priorities.

The center aims to become a leading force in Generative AI research, driving advancements in various sectors.

Prof. Husam Al Shareef, an expert in battery technologies and material science, along with chemistry professor Zhiping Lai, will lead the Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies, which focuses on cutting-edge renewable energy and storage technology development and deployment.

It will play a critical role in Saudi Arabia's shift to sustainable energy by “prototyping and commercializing innovations that enhance the Kingdom’s industrial competitiveness”.

The Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security, led by Prof. Mark Tester, an expert in plant science and agriculture in arid environments, and co-chaired by professors Brande Wulff, a leader in crop genetics, and Peiying Hong, an expert in environmental microbiology and wastewater treatment, will focus on advancing technology-driven agricultural solutions.

It will address resource efficiency, crop improvement and sustainable biosystems, to boost food security in Saudi Arabia and beyond, with minimum negative impact.

Prof. Imed Gallouzi, an expert in RNA biology and mRNA processing, along with Professor Xin Gao, an expert in computational biology and AI, will lead the Center of Excellence for Smart Health, which focuses on developing and deploying digital and AI-driven technologies with the goal of transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia through precision medicine, promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and education to revolutionize the Kingdom’s healthcare system.

Commenting on the launch, KAUST President Prof. Edward Byrne AC stated: “The establishment of these new Centers of Excellence exemplifies our commitment to pioneering scientific leadership and discovery.”

“By Focusing on AI, renewable energy, sustainable food security, and smart health, we are not only addressing the Kingdom’s most pressing challenges but also positioning KAUST as a global leader in these critical fields,” he added.

“I am excited to collaborate with our exceptional teams to turn ideas into solutions that enhance the quality of life and create a sustainable future for the Kingdom and beyond.”

These CoEs were launched because they strongly align with national priorities, are interdisciplinary in nature and have the potential to create tangible economic and social impacts.

“They will play a vital role in leading pioneering research, in line with KAUST’s Accelerating Impact strategy, and will be integrated with KAUST’s National Transformation Institute to drive research excellence and innovation,” said the statement.

“KAUST’s Accelerating Impact strategy was launched by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of KAUST Board of Trustees. This strategy focuses on aligning research with national priorities and supporting the Kingdom’s economic diversification through impactful RDI projects,” it added.