France's resident Macron does so. As does French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born. Now it has also emerged that the leader of the Left Party, Nooshi Dagdostar, uses e-cigarettes.
It was during a light-hearted hearing of the Nooshi Dadgostar (v) radio station P3 that the issue of smoking came up. According to sources at P3 The leader of the Left Party has smoked the occasional cigarette, especially in connection with the fall of then Prime Minister Stefan Löfven's government in a vote of no confidence in autumn 2021. Nooshi Dagdostar would neither confirm nor deny the information. The programme hosts then speculated whether Nooshi Dagdostar might be vejpade instead? This prompted the Left Party leader to give in. She quickly showed her e-cig and cheers erupted. Then the interview began in earnest.
"Actually quite large"
"It may seem a bit trivial and silly, perhaps. But it's actually quite big. Even very big," says Karl Åke Johansson, Chairman of NNA Sweden, the Swedish user association for electronic cigarettes.
Indeed, when the government wanted to take a harder line on e-cigarettes in the form of a flavour ban, the Left Party, together with the Green Party, was one of the parties that supported the proposal. "If the flavour ban had been passed, neither Nooshi Dagdostar nor anyone else would be able to use an e-cig to quit smoking in the future," says Nooshi Dagdostar. Karl Åke Johansson. This was not the case, but the proposal was voted down by the opposition.
"But we sensed that the Left Party had changed its position on the issue, actually. They weren't as judgmental as before and even recognised that e-cigarettes are actually used by adults who want to quit smoking," he said. Karl Åke Johansson.
Vejpande minister criticised
When the French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born vejpaken openly at a public gathering, both the press and political activists reacted, demanding everything from resignation to apologies to fines. However, nothing similar has happened since Nooshi Dagdostar's revelation on Sweden's largest radio station.
"But apparently the centre leader thinks Annie Lööv (c) that Nooshi Dagdostar's smoking is quite annoying. They share a lift in the Parliament building and it smells when you have been out smoking. So it would be great if she could switch to e-cigarettes - both for her health and the environment", says Ms Dagdostar. Karl Åke Johansson.
"More people understand what e-cigs are about"
Karl Åke Johansson argues that the more public figures that vejp are open, the better for public health in general.
"It is important that more people understand what vejping is about and that it becomes accepted. Then we might avoid a one-sided debate about young people who steal. Nooshi is obviously trying to quit smoking and she should be honoured for that. Now those of us who are involved must support her as much as possible," says Ms Nooshi. Karl Åke Johansson.
