The latest Swedish research shows that nicotine pouches have become the most effective tool for women to quit smoking, with better results than e-cigarettes and chewing gum. Since its introduction in 2016, the smoking rate among Swedish women has dropped by 49%, pushing the country to become the first "smoke-free country".

Nicotine pouches are changing the way women in Sweden, the world's first smoke-free country, quit smoking, a groundbreaking study shows.

Research by Smoke Free Sweden shows that smoke-free nicotine pouches have led to a dramatic change in smoking patterns since 2016. The quit rate among women is now nearly 200% higher than before.

Nicotine pouches are popular with women because they are discreet and socially acceptable. Unlike e-cigarettes, they do not produce smoke, vapor or odor. Users simply place them between their lips and gums.

Sweden's approach is very different from other countries that have banned or severely restricted nicotine pouches. Instead, Swedish health officials have adopted a harm reduction strategy that recognizes safer alternatives to cigarettes. The results speak for themselves.

Since the introduction of nicotine pouches, smoking rates among Swedish women have dropped by 49%.

This is a major breakthrough because historically, women have quit smoking at lower rates than men.

The health benefits of Sweden's smoke-free status are already being felt across the country. The Swedish male lung cancer mortality rate is 61% lower than the EU average. Overall cancer deaths are 34% lower than the EU average.

Dr. Delon Human, who leads Smoke-Free Sweden and was previously secretary general of the World Medical Association, warns that over-regulation could reverse this progress.

The researchers stressed that women should have access to smoking cessation tools that fit their preferences and lifestyles. Traditional approaches often fail because they do not address the practical barriers women face when trying to quit smoking.

Sweden’s open approach stands in stark contrast to restrictive policies in other countries.

In Canada, nicotine pouches like Zonnic are restricted to pharmacies and are limited to mint, menthol or unflavored flavors. Canada’s regulatory framework significantly limits access compared to Sweden’s more “easy access” system.

The study’s authors urge policymakers around the world to take a closer look at Sweden’s success story. They argue that evidence-based harm reduction strategies could save millions of lives worldwide.