Top Stories from Sweden
9.9% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 837,000 current smokers in Sweden
11.7% of men are current smokers but only 8.1% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2025.
Page updated:
2025-11-05
Smoking in Sweden
The overall daily smoking prevalence in Sweden has declined since 2000. In 2022, Sweden had the lowest smoking prevalence of any country in Europe at 5.8%. Smoked tobacco, as a form of nicotine delivery, has been displaced in Sweden by a type of pasteurised oral tobacco called snus, which is less harmful than combustible tobacco. The prevalence of snus use overtook the prevalence of cigarette smoking amongst men in 1996. Sweden is also one of the few countries where the prevalence of daily smoking has been higher in women than in men. In 2022 the daily smoking for women was 6.3% but 5.3% for men.
The most recent data from 2016 show there were 10,514 annual deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (approximately 5,300 women and 5,200 men). The annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was 11.15% (women: 11.1%; and men: 11.2%).
Nicotine vapes (e-cigarettes) are legal in Sweden and there are 92,200 vapers in the country as of 2021, giving an adult vaping prevalence of 1.1%. There is a requirement to ensure vape packaging contains a health warning, and they can only be sold to those aged 18 and older. Vaping devices can be purchased without a prescription but there are legal restrictions on their use in public places.
Heated tobacco products are legal but cannot be marketed. Snus is allowed and is regulated as a consumer product, and it can be imported for personal use and it can also be bought online. A health warning is required on packaging and it can only be bought by those aged 18 and over, but there are no restrictions on flavour range or nicotine content.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products can be marketed and are available to buy in many general shops without a prescription. The NRT market in Sweden is worth €85.3 million.
For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
8,928
Deaths
8,928 people in Sweden die from tobacco smoking-related diseases each year.
85.3 million €
Market size of NRT.
Estimated NRT market size is 85.3 million €.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in Sweden
E-cigarettes are legal in Sweden, where both online and vending machine sales are allowed, and products are available through general retail outlets. However, health claims are not allowed, and advertising is regulated. The excise duty applied to e-cigarettes ranges between 10% and 50% of that imposed on traditional cigarettes, reflecting a moderate taxation approach compared to traditional tobacco products. Sweden enforces several regulatory measures for e-cigarettes, including mandatory notifications for new products, requirements for childproof and tamperproof containers, and health warnings on packaging. The minimum legal age for purchasing e-cigarettes is 18 years. While there are no restrictions on flavour range, nicotine content is limited to 20 mg/mL or less, and tank sizes must not exceed 2 mL. The use of e-cigarettes is also subject to legal restrictions in public places.
Statistics show that approximately 83,500 people in Sweden were current e-cigarette users as of 2023. The adult current e-cigarette vaping prevalence was estimated to be 1% in 2023. This was slightly higher among females (2.2%) compared to males (1.9%) in 2022. As of 2023, daily use prevalence of vaping among adults was reported to be 0.6%. This prevalence was 0.4% among females and 0.6% among males in 2022. Public perception of e-cigarette harm in 2017 in Sweden showed that 65% of adults considered e-cigarettes harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, 14% viewed them as less harmful, and 21% were not sure to answer the question. Overall, Sweden’s e-cigarette environment is characterised by regulated access, moderate taxation, and relatively low prevalence, shaped by strong perceptions of health risk.
Heated Tobacco Products
in Sweden
The Tobacco Act—Law (1993:581) on tobacco (12 f §) transposes Article 19 of the EU Tobacco Products Directive, which covers novel tobacco products and applies to heated tobacco products. Regulations cover reporting, notifications and health warning labels. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has regulatory authority over heated tobacco products. So far, this authority has not been exerted.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in Sweden
Estimated NRT market size is 85.3 million €. In Sweden you don't need a prescription to purchase NRT. NRT is legal to market. You can buy NRT in many general shops without a prescription.
Snus
in Sweden
Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Find out what it is, and why it is considered a safer nicotine product in our briefing paper.
Pouches
in Sweden
Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Read more about nicotine pouches in our briefing paper
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team.
However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice.
We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product
categories can change at short notice and with little publicity.
If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region,
you should verify the information independently.
If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details
and any references and we will rectify any errors.