Death Rate per 100,000 Attributable to Tobacco, All Causes of Death, Men 30 Years and Older

Knowledge•Action•Change (2018)

Lars Ramström - Institute for Tobacco Studies

This figure illustrates what percentage of all deaths are tobacco-related across Europe – which gives an indication of the chances of dying of a tobacco related disease. Using more recent data from the Global Burden of Disease study, it is calculated that in Sweden 11 percent of male and 12 percent of female deaths are tobacco-related. In all EU countries the percentage is higher: for example, in Greece 26 percent of male deaths are tobacco related; 23 percent in Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands; 21 percent in Italy and Denmark; and 20 percent in the UK and Luxembourg.

Dr Lars Ramström calculated the potential future premature deaths that could be avoided in the EU if the ban on the marketing of snus is revoked: “If snus is made available by lifting of the current ban in the EU, and truthful public education encourages substitution of snus for cigarettes as in Sweden, then around 320,000 premature deaths per year can conceivably be prevented among men 30 years and older in the current EU countries”.

See also p. 50 of the report: No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2018 — Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (gsthr.org)