"A disaster!". "A proposal with tobacco industry influences".
"A model for other EU countries to follow"
The government's plans to cut taxes on snus, and to finance the measure by raising taxes on cigarettes, are attracting attention. Harsh words from Swedish interest groups, but also praise from user associations and activists worldwide.
"It's a disaster!"
This is according to Helen Stjerna, Secretary General of the Non Smoking Generation Foundation, commenting on the Swedish government's plans to reduce taxes on snus and finance it by raising taxes on smoking tobacco. According to Helen Stjerna, lowering the tax on snus will lead to more snus users.
"We don't need more people to use snus, we should help more people to quit" says Helen Stjerna via an article on the NSG website.
Want to make it more expensive to use snus
Non Smoking Generation is a lobbying organization for funding by the Public Health Agency of Sweden to discourage the use of cigarettes among young people. However, in recent years, the Foundation has focused more on forms of nicotine use other than smoking - such as snus and e-cigarettes. According to the Helen Stjerna snus is "deadly" - something she says is confirmed by research. At the same time, she says that raising taxes on cigarettes and rolling tobacco is a positive step, although she would also like to see an increase in snus taxes.
"Taxes on tobacco have proven to be a very effective way to prevent smoking globally" says Helen Stjerna.
Harm reduction has taken hold
She is supported by the government-funded think tank Tobaksfakta and its chairperson Lena Sjöberg. According to Lena Sjöberg the government's decision to promote snus over cigarettes is a setback.
"This proposal could be interpreted as a sign that the tobacco industry's harm reduction message has taken hold in politics" says Lena Sjöberg i a press release.
"Sweden becomes a role model"
At the same time, the Swedish government's actions are attracting international attention. Michael Landl, Secretary General of the activist organization World Vapers Alliance says the decision is exemplary. He points to the low percentage of smokers in Sweden.
"In Sweden, harm reduction for smokers is no longer a theoretical concept. It is something that is effectively practiced and it works. The rest of the EU should really follow suit", says Michael Landl to The Vaping Post online magazine.
"Attracting smokers to safer alternatives"
Pouch Patrol magazine, which lobbies for harm reduction alternatives such as snus and nicotine pouches for smokers in Europe, also believes the Swedish government is sending important signals to the EU.
"The Swedish government has announced that the tax on snus will be reduced while the price of cigarettes will be increased. This sends a clear signal to the rest of Europe: the fastest and most powerful way to save more lives is to attract more smokers to switch to safer alternatives for nicotine use." writes the newspaper in a comment.
Why should the EU interfere with our snus when we don't interfere with their wine/beer
We should have stuck to the EC instead of the EU, then we wouldn't have had the EU interfering in our rules on snus.
The tax on e-juices and disposable vejp and Terea/Heets for Iqos should also be significantly reduced, it is in no way proportionate to the risks. Similarly, other bans and restrictions on these products that are not based on facts and science should be removed.