The Sweden smoking rate has dropped to just 3.7 per cent, making it the first country in the world to reach official smoke-free status. That figure sits well below the internationally recognised threshold of 5 per cent. No other nation has crossed this line before.

The figures come from CAN Rapport 242: Vanor och konsekvenser 2025 (Habits and Consequences 2025). The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs published the report. It draws on responses from more than 45,500 adults aged 18 to 84 and covers tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, doping and gambling.

Sweden Smoking Rate Halves Over a Decade

The Sweden smoking rate has been falling steadily for over a decade. Between 2013 and 2025, daily smoking dropped by 62 per cent. Sporadic smoking fell by 36 per cent. Among women aged 18 to 29, the daily figure went from 19 per cent in 2013 to just 6 per cent in 2025.

Sweden set a political target: fewer than 5 per cent of the population smoking regularly by 2025. The CAN data confirms that target is now met.

“Sweden’s 67 per cent drop in smoking since 2012 should be the gold standard,” said Suely Castro, founder of Quit Like Sweden. “It’s a clear example of putting people and science first.”

How Snus and New Nicotine Products Cut Swedish Tobacco Use

Snus has played a central role in reshaping Swedish tobacco use. Swedes have used this oral tobacco product for generations. In January 2025, the government raised cigarette taxes by 10 per cent. At the same time, it cut taxation on snus by 20 per cent. That policy shift pushed more smokers toward lower-risk alternatives.

By 2025, 18 per cent of adults used snus. That is up from 13 per cent in 2013. Growth was strongest among women and younger adults. Among women aged 18 to 29, daily snus use more than tripled from 6 per cent in 2017 to 17 per cent in 2025. White snus now dominates that group. A striking 93 per cent of female snus users in that age bracket chose white snus over the traditional brown variety.

Vaping has grown too, though it remains uncommon overall. Around 2.7 per cent of adults vaped in 2025, up from 1.6 per cent in 2017. The biggest jump was among women aged 18 to 29, rising from 1.7 per cent to 7.7 per cent. Nearly all who vape use nicotine products.

What the Sweden Smoking Rate Shift Means for Nicotine Dependence

Daily snus users rate their dependence higher than daily smokers. The mean score is 17.4 out of 25 for snus users, compared to 15.4 for smokers. Brown snus users report stronger dependence than white snus users. Researchers suggest this may reflect the older age profile of brown snus users rather than the product itself.

Long-term health effects of white snus are still not fully understood. Some studies flag concerns about high nicotine levels in certain products. Swedish tobacco use patterns have shifted dramatically, but nicotine dependence across the population remains a real concern.

Alcohol, Narcotics and Gambling: The Broader Picture

The CAN report goes well beyond tobacco. On alcohol, the news is broadly encouraging. The share of adults drinking at least once a week fell from 48 per cent in 2013 to 39 per cent in 2025. Alcohol use disorder affected just over 10 per cent of adults in 2025. That figure was 12 per cent in 2017. Men drove most of that decline.

Narcotics use stayed relatively stable. Eight per cent of adults reported use in the past 12 months. Cannabis was the most commonly used substance at just under 3 per cent. Dependence rates fell from 1.8 per cent in 2017 to 1.2 per cent in 2025.

Gambling tells a different story. The share of adults with some degree of gambling problems rose from 4 per cent in 2021 to 6 per cent in 2025. Among young men aged 18 to 29, it jumped from 11 per cent to 19 per cent. That is a near-doubling in just four years.

A Model Other Nations Are Watching

Public health experts now ask whether the Swedish model can work elsewhere. Sweden’s success in cutting Swedish tobacco use is partly cultural. The country has a long history with snus. But advocates argue the core principle transfers well. When smokers have access to affordable, lower-risk options, many will switch.

The United Kingdom offers a similar example. Vaping has driven millions of people away from cigarettes. Norway, which is not subject to the EU ban on snus, has cut its smoking rate to 7 per cent. New Zealand is close to smoke-free status, largely through vaping. Japan has halved cigarette sales after heated tobacco products became mainstream.

The evidence from Sweden is clear. Harm reduction works. The harder question is whether governments elsewhere will act on it.

Data sourced from CAN Rapport 242: Vanor och konsekvenser 2025, published March 2026.

Source: dbrecoveryresources