Iceland - country profile
- Cigarettes Cigarettes
- Nicotine Vaping Devices (E-cigarettes) E-cigarettes
- Snus Snus
- Heated Tobacco Products HTP
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy NRT
Cigarettes in Iceland
There has been a downwards trend in current smoking prevalence in the general population in Iceland. Smoking prevalence was 30% in 2000 and declined to 15% in 2015, with a further drop to 10% projected by 2025. For men the prevalence halved from 33% in 2000 to 16% in 2015, with a further decrease to 10% projected by 2025. For women a prevalence of 27% in 2000 dropped to 15% in 2015, and is projected to decrease further to around 10% by 2025. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates are not age standardised, and were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust.
All
Prevalence
Smoking-related mortality
Product promotion
Regulation
Availability
Regulations and restrictions
Perception of harm
Tax
Tobacco smoking prevalence
Number of current smokers:
37,251
A
Adult current tobacco smoking prevalence:
13.8%
A
Adult current tobacco smoking prevalence (female):
13.7%
A
Adult current tobacco smoking prevalence (male):
13.9%
A
A
(1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Smoking-related mortality
Annual number of deaths attributable to tobacco smoking:
365
A
Annual number of deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (female):
190
A
Annual number of deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (male):
175
A
Annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking:
16.4%
A
Annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (female):
17.4%
A
Annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (male):
15.2%
A
A
The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
Nicotine Vaping Devices (E-cigarettes) in Iceland
The Icelandic government is the first government to vote in a law specific to electronic cigarettes with no ties to tobacco regulation. The law came into force on February 1st 2019, after a long legal battle with lobby groups. Since 2014, with no legislation in place, tobacco consumption fell by 40% in Iceland, whilst there was a growth in the snus and e-cigarette market. For under 18's, the smoking rate is under 2%. In 18-24-year-olds, there are twice as many vapers as there are smokers. The new law allows the advertising of vaping products, and there will be no volume limitation on e-liquids, although nicotine content will be limited to 2%. There will be a tax of 0.9% applied to vaping products which will go towards anti-smoking initiatives.
All
Prevalence
Smoking-related mortality
Product promotion
Regulation
Availability
Regulations and restrictions
Perception of harm
Tax
Prevalence
Adult current e-cigarette vaping prevalence:
4.0%
1
A
A
Iceland direcorate of Health Newsletter, reported in Iceland Review. Available at:http://icelandreview.com/news/2018/05/03/vaping-linked-decrease-cigarette-smoking
1
Daily use
Regulation
A
Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/
1
New laws being implemented in February 2019.
Availability
Snus in Iceland
There are no comments specific to snus in Iceland in the database.
All
Prevalence
Smoking-related mortality
Product promotion
Regulation
Availability
Regulations and restrictions
Perception of harm
Tax
Regulation
Regulatory status:
Banned
1
A
A
Information obtained from 1. Industry source (2014 data); and 2. in country expert
1
Swedish snus is banned however Icelanders import a slightly different cut of what is officially known as nasal tobacco. This is is used either in a small lump under the lip or made into a snus parcel using separate paper similar to the Swedish snus packaging. Despite being much less harmful than cigarettes this Icelandic snus is taxed at the same level and the tax level has increased massively over the last 8 years(over 140%). The same rules apply as for cigarettes - age restricted sales (18), no advertising, health warnings on packets, and no claims of health benefits such as help quitting cigarettes.
Heated Tobacco Products in Iceland
Heated tobacco products are not regulated in Iceland.
All
Prevalence
Smoking-related mortality
Product promotion
Regulation
Availability
Regulations and restrictions
Perception of harm
Tax
Regulation
Regulatory status:
No specific law
A
A
Philip Morris International website. Available at: https://www.pmi.com/smoke-free-products/iqos-our-tobacco-heating-system
Availability
Products are marketed:
No
A
A
Philip Morris International website. Available at: https://www.pmi.com/smoke-free-products/iqos-our-tobacco-heating-system
Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Iceland
There are no comments specific to nicotine replacement therapy in Iceland in the database.
