Last week in Brussels, the Smoke-Free Partnership (SFP) presented “alarming” figures on underage nicotine pouch use in Sweden. There was only one problem: the numbers were wrong. Or, more precisely, they were presented in a deeply misleading way.
And when an organisation that receives partial funding from the European Commission testifies before the European Parliament, the least citizens deserve is accuracy. Let’s walk through what actually happened.
The Claim: “29% of 17-year-olds in Sweden use oral nicotine products.”
This was the headline number SFP showcased in its slide deck to MEPs. Yes, the 29 percent figure appears in the Swedish national school survey titled CAN-rapport 230 from 2024. But here is what SFP did not mention.
The “17-year-olds” in the survey are not all underage
The survey covers students in their second year of upper secondary school. In Sweden, many of these students turn 18 during that school year.
Based on the age distribution in the CAN report and national demographic patterns, around 20 percent of these students are already 18 when the survey is conducted.
This means that:
The real figure for underage users is not 29 percent. It is roughly 23 percent.
This is a very different picture from the one presented to policymakers.
SFP framed the number as “current use.” The report does not use that category
In the CAN report, the 29 percent figure comes from a combined category that includes:
- 21 percent daily use
- 8 percent occasional use such as at parties or trying a product once
SFP merged both and presented them as “current use” in a way that implies regular consumption. The actual data tells a more nuanced story. Daily use is significantly lower and occasional experimentation distorts the overall number.
Misrepresenting categories is not a minor issue. It directly shapes policy decisions.
The same report acknowledges that snus has lower risk than smoking
This fact was omitted by SFP. On page 23 of the CAN report, the authors state that snus, Sweden’s traditional oral nicotine product, has: “Generally lower health risks than smoking.”
This matters because the European Parliament hearing focused on total nicotine harm rather than relative risk.
If Swedish data is used in a policy debate, Swedish public health conclusions should not be ignored.
Why this matters: funding, credibility and accountability
SFP receives partial funding from the European Commission. It then presents data in the European Parliament in a way that distorts Sweden’s public health reality.
This occurs despite Sweden having:
- a smoking prevalence of 5.3 percent, the lowest in the EU
- 44 percent fewer tobacco-related deaths than the EU average
This is not only misleading. It undermines harm reduction progress. If Europe wants outcomes similar to Sweden, it needs facts, not fear-based presentations.
Sweden’s success deserves honesty
Sweden is on track to become the first smoke-free nation in the EU.
The reasons are clear:
- legal access to safer oral nicotine alternatives
- informed adult choice
- cultural acceptance of harm reduction
- transparent communication on relative risk
This combination is why Sweden’s smoking rates have collapsed, including among young people. Sweden should be treated as a success story, not as a cautionary tale.
What Europe needs now: evidence, not exaggeration
Accurate youth data matters. Context matters. Exaggerating statistics might generate dramatic headlines, but it does not produce better policy.
Europe needs:
- accurate presentations from taxpayer-funded organisations
- clear separation between underage and adult statistics
- proper distinction between daily and occasional use
- recognition of Sweden’s proven harm reduction success
At Considerate Pouchers, we believe nicotine policy must be grounded in evidence and respect for consumers.
When Swedish data is read correctly, it reveals a remarkably positive public health outcome.
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