Sweden should introduce a harm reduction perspective in tobacco and nicotine policy. This is the view of several representatives of the New Moderates.
"By pursuing a policy that encourages people to choose less harmful alternatives, there is great potential to create a smoke-free Sweden," write Åsa Coenraads (m) and Lars Püss (m) in a motion to the Parliament.
Harm reduction refers to pragmatic measures to reduce the harmful consequences of drug use or other high-risk activities. It is a debated concept that has been influential in drug policy. However, decriminalization of use, needle exchanges, and methadone programs have become established as methods to reduce mortality among drug users.
Also applies to smoking
With the development of e-cigarettes and other smokeless nicotine products, harm reduction has recently also become a concept related to smoking. British authorities for example, advocates for less harmful nicotine products to reduce smoking mortality in the country. Now the debate on harm reduction for smokers has also heated up in Sweden.
"There is a big difference in health impact between tobacco products that are burned and inhaled compared to snus and products that are heated or vaporized. Promoting risk-reducing products is thus an important step. Something that has unfortunately so far been underestimated in the strategic work towards a Sweden where fewer people suffer from tobacco-related diseases." Writes John Weinerhall (m) in a motion to Parliament.
"Big gains for human health"
He is supported by his party colleagues Åsa Coenraads and Lars Püss. They argue that Sweden's next strategy on alcohol, drugs, doping, tobacco and gambling (the ANDTS strategy) should encourage smokers to choose less harmful nicotine alternatives.
"Fewer people smoking brings great benefits to people's lives and health. Policy should continue to promote this approach and differentiate between different types of tobacco use through a harm reduction perspective." they write in a joint motion to the Parliament.
Promoting snus and e-cigarettes
According to Coenraads and Püss, it is important to promote industry that develops products that are "more in line with sustainable development, healthy food or preventive health care". These include less harmful nicotine products, such as snus, nicotine pouches and different variants of e-cigarettes.
"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 where tobacco is heated instead of burned in order to be less harmful. Burning tobacco has been shown to be a process that releases many harmful substances." Write Åsa Coenraads and Lars Püss.
Compare with alcohol
Together with John Weinerhall, they are now calling on Parliament to introduce a harm reduction perspective in tobacco policy. They refer to current alcohol policy.
"By pursuing policies that encourage people to choose less harmful alternatives, there is great potential to create a smoke-free Sweden. Therefore, it is important to state that in the next ANDT strategy, there should also be a harm reduction perspective for tobacco, as there is for alcohol." Write Åsa Coenraads and Lars Püss.
