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 for alcohol." writes SD in a motion to the Riksdag
The debate on alcohol, drugs and tobacco is gathering pace in Parliament. Some 50 motions have been tabled and will form the basis of the discussion. When it comes to tobacco, issues such as white snus and e-cigarettes are at the center of the debate.
"By pursuing policies that encourage people to choose less harmful alternatives, there is a huge potential to achieve a smoke-free Sweden. Therefore, it is 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, Parliament should repeal the current ANDTS strategy. The ANDTS strategy is a framework that governs, among other things, the work on tobacco and nicotine of the Swedish Public Health Agency and the organizations that receive funding from the Agency to carry out preventive work. The aim 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 as fewer and fewer Swedes smoke, while snus and various other smoke-free products are increasingly replacing smoking.
"Burning 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 where tobacco is heated instead of burned in order to be less harmful." The SD MEPs state.
Missing key elements
The SD members also believe that Public Health Agency of Sweden investigation, which was supposed to compile knowledge on the relative risks of different nicotine products, was not up to scratch.
"The report published lacks essential elements and rather equates the health risks of tobacco smoking with snuff. This without discussing or clarifying the differences between the products." The SD MEPs write.
MEPs refer to other studies that actually compare differences between, for example, snuff and smoking.
Requires new investigation
Instead, SD calls for a new investigation that provides a better basis for opportunities to introduce a harm reduction perspective in tobacco policy, in the same way as in alcohol policy.
"We will set up a new, independent inquiry that will actually provide answers to what the Parliament has decided and is asking for. Although all products in the field of the ANDTS strategy are harmful to health, it is still important to clarify the differences that exist in terms of the harmful effects of these products, which are scientifically proven." write the SD MEPs.
Tobacco policy and a future strategy on alcohol, drugs, tobacco, doping and gambling will be debated in Swedish Parliament on March 21, 2024.
Perhaps it is time that injury reduction options are also created in all sports, including all motor sports.
And don't forget about the risk of injury when skiing for fun in the mountains!
Let part of the lift passes finance healthcare!
Perhaps it is also time that the health care system gets a share of all the billions that various government CEOs receive for their paychecks!
Also take the opportunity to scrap the EU, Rot and Rut and Interest deductions!
Then Sweden has the opportunity to prosper again!
Harm minimization ftw. The harm minimization party. Harm reduction collection (hmm, abbreviation problem) Would be an always topical party! 😉