IN a world where over one billion people still smoke, the need for effective approaches to end smoking has never been more urgent.
The situation in Malaysia, where five million adults are smokers, presents both a challenge and an opportunity. By adopting the Swedish Experience, Malaysia could save hundreds of thousands of lives.
This was the core message at the recent Quit Like Sweden event in Kuala Lumpur, where national and international public health and public policy experts gathered to discuss the potential of replicating Sweden’s success in reducing smoking rates.
The Swedish Experience
Sweden stands out as a beacon of hope. Sweden has smoking cessation and prevention measures similar to those of countries at the vanguard of the fight against smoking.
Sweden, however, has achieved much more remarkable public health outcomes. Its smoking prevalence is 5.6%, not far from the 5% threshold at which a country can be considered “smoke-free.”
In Sweden, one in four adults uses nicotine daily, yet the country’s cancer incidence is 41% lower than the European average, and smoking-related deaths are less than half of those in 24 of the other 26 EU countries.
This stark contrast underscores the effectiveness of Sweden’s comprehensive approach that combines the measures and programs already mentioned with policies that enable people who smoke to choose alternatives instead.
The Three A’s: Accessibility, Acceptability, Affordability
Sweden has made alternatives to smoking accessible, acceptable, and affordable. These alternatives include snus, nicotine pouches, vaping, and heated tobacco products.
This has not only reduced smoking rates but also improved public health outcomes.
Alternative products in Sweden are accessible because people who smoke can access them at least where they can access cigarettes.
They are acceptable because people who smoke find them to be realistic options, in a range of flavors and strengths that help quit cigarettes.
And they are affordable because price is never a deterrent to attempt that.
The Malaysian Context
In Malaysia, the adoption of the Swedish Experience could transform public health.
The country’s current anti-smoking measures focus primarily on prevention and cessation, which, while important, are not sufficient to address the needs of the five million people who continue to use cigarettes.
Introducing policies that enable people who smoke to switch to alternatives could provide these individuals with a practical pathway to reducing their health risks.
At the Quit Like Sweden event in Kuala Lumpur, experts from various fields discussed the potential benefits for Malaysia.
The speakers included leading public health and public policy experts and people who successfully stopped smoking, all of whom emphasized the urgency of adopting a more pragmatic strategy to end smoking.
Personal Stories and Public Health
For me, this is a personal mission. My father, an 80-year-old Brazilian man, is a heavy smoker who has struggled with a lifelong addiction to cigarettes.
Despite his desire to quit, he has been unable to find a viable alternative that suits his needs.
This highlights a broader issue faced by millions of smokers worldwide: the lack of accessible, acceptable, and affordable alternatives to smoking.
In contrast, any smoker of my father’s generation in Sweden has the ability to successfully switch and stay away from cigarettes.
This has the potential to not only improve their health but also allows them to live a more active and fulfilling life.
This comparison between my father’s situation and that of a similar person in Sweden underscores the transformative potential of the Swedish Experience. – Aug 28, 2024
Suely Castro is the Director of Quit Like Sweden, a platform for people who want to make alternatives to smoking available.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image: quitlikesweden
