A better investigation into the relative risks of different nicotine products and a new framework for managing tobacco and nicotine products. This is what the Sweden Democrats are now proposing ahead of the upcoming debate on ANDTS issues in the Social Affairs Committee.
"The next ANDTS strategy should also include a harm reduction perspective for tobacco and nicotine products, as it does in the area of alcohol", writes SD in a motion to the Riksdag.
The debate on alcohol, drugs and tobacco is coming up in Parliament. Some 50 motions have been submitted and will form the basis of the discussion. In the case of tobacco, the focus is on white snuff and e-cigarettes.
"By pursuing a policy that encourages people to choose less harmful alternatives, there is a huge potential to achieve a smoke-free Sweden. It is therefore important that the next ANDTS strategy should include a harm reduction perspective for tobacco, as it does for alcohol." Writes the Sweden Democrats in a comprehensive proposal to reform the current tobacco policy.
Highlighting smoke-free products
According to the motion, the Riksdag should tear up the current ANDTS strategy. The ANDTS strategy is a framework that, among other things, governs the work on tobacco and nicotine at the Swedish Public Health Agency and the organisations that receive funding from the agency to conduct preventive work. The goal of the current strategy is to reduce the use of all nicotine, not only cigarette smoking but also the use of snus, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes. According to SD, this strategy is counterproductive. Especially since fewer and fewer Swedes smoke while snus and various other smoke-free products are increasingly replacing smoking.
"The combustion of tobacco has been shown to be a process that releases many harmful substances. There is no longer any scientific doubt that snus is significantly less harmful to health than smoking. A number of new tobacco products have also been developed in which tobacco is heated rather than burned in order to be less harmful." SD MEPs note.
Missing key elements
At the same time, SD MEPs believe that Public Health Agency investigation, which was intended to summarise knowledge about the relative risks of different nicotine products, did not work.
"The published report lacks essential elements and rather equates the health risks of tobacco smoking with snus. This without discussing or clarifying the differences between the products." Write the SD MEPs.
MEPs refer to other studies that actually compare differences between, for example, snuffing and smoking.
Requires new investigation
Instead, SD calls for a new investigation that provides a better basis for introducing a harm reduction perspective in tobacco policy, in the same way as in alcohol policy.
"We will set up a new, independent investigation that actually provides answers to what the Parliament has decided and requested. Even if all products in the field of the ANDTS strategy are harmful to health, it is still important to clarify the differences in the harmful effects of these products, which have been scientifically proven." write the SD MEPs.
Tobacco policy and a future strategy on alcohol, drugs, tobacco, doping and gambling will be debated in the Swedish Parliament. Parliament on 21 March 2024.
Perhaps it is time to create injury reduction options in all sports, including all motorsports.
And don't forget the risk of injury when skiing in the mountains!
Let some of the lift passes finance health care!
Perhaps it's also time for the health service to benefit from all the billions that various government CEOs receive in their pay packets!
Take the opportunity to scrap the EU, Rot and Rut and interest deductions!
Then Sweden has the opportunity to prosper again!
Harm minimisation ftw. Damage minimisation party. Damage Reduction Assembly (hmm, abbreviation problem) Would be an always relevant party! 😉