The vision became reality. Changing the tobacco policy target has been an important issue for Johan Hultberg, a member of the Moderate Party, for many years. And when the government presented its budget for 2025, it was clear that harm reduction will be part of Swedish nicotine policy.
"This is a victory for common sense. Finally, we have a tobacco policy that focuses on real outcomes - less harm from nicotine use," Johan Hultberg told Vejpkollen.
Harm minimisation in tobacco policy has been discussed for many years now. Not least in relation to taxes, product regulation and various forms of bans that would affect access to smoke-free nicotine products. Johan Hultberg, a long-time member of the Moderate Party's Social Affairs Committee, has long fought for a change in tobacco policy objectives. His vision has been based on the idea that different nicotine products and their varying degrees of harmfulness should determine what measures society should take to regulate use. Previous governments have instead emphasised that all nicotine products should be considered equally harmful and should therefore be regulated in the same way.
"A victory for moderates and common sense"
But in the end, Johan Hulten, and a majority in Parliament, got what they wanted. The tobacco policy objective changes. Instead of 'reducing tobacco use', the objective should be 'reducing the medical and social harm caused by tobacco'.
And it is a happy Johan Hultberg who notes that the government has realised the vision.
"Of course it feels very good. It's a victory for the Conservatives and for common sense. Now we finally have a target in place that focuses on really important results - reducing injuries." says Johan Hultberg to Vejpkollen.
What do you hope will be the outcome of a change in tobacco policy objectives?
"The overall ANDTS objective is a guiding principle for policy in this area and something that not least guides the work of the authorities. I believe that the fact that we are now making it clear that the goal is to reduce tobacco- and nicotine-related harm can be of great importance. This applies to everything from how Sweden acts in international negotiations to how we shape national policy and our own instruments and regulations."
From flavour bans to tax cuts
Swedes who sniff, vejpar or use nicotine pouches have been tossed between hope and despair in recent years. Not least when the previous Social Democratic government proposed a flavour ban for the e-liquid in e-cigarettes. Johan Hultberg was one of several politicians who argued against the ban and finally got with them a majority in Parliament. Just one year later, the Conservatives, together with the Liberals and the Christian Democrats and the support of the Sweden Democrats, were able to form a government. A modification of the tobacco policy objective was one of the issues that united the parties. Recently, the first expression of a change in policy came with the tax on snus was reduced, while increasing the tax on cigarettes.
How do you think those who use smokeless nicotine products will notice the change?
"I hope and believe that these users have already realised that we have a new government that has started to change tobacco policy. A reorientation in which the changed target is a central part. It follows from the change in objective that the practical policy must also change to better reflect the fact that there is a huge difference between different nicotine and tobacco products. In concrete terms, I hope that this will be reflected in the tax issue, for example. And the government has already lowered the tax on snus but raised it on cigarettes, which is an expression of a policy that differentiates between different products and focuses on reducing tobacco-related harm." says Johan Hultberg
