Use of tobacco and nicotine products
Daily smoking is unequally distributed in the population and there are significant differences between different groups based on for example education. The use of nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes, is common among young people.
Tobacco smoking
Daily tobacco smoking is unequally distributed in the population
Daily tobacco smoking has decreased in Sweden since early 1980’s. In 2022, approximately 6 per cent of the population 16–84 years reported daily tobacco smoking (figure 1).
Figure 1. Daily tobacco smoking in women and men, 16–84 years, during the period 2004–2022 (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
There are, however, still significant differences in daily tobacco smoking between different groups based on for example education, income and occupation. In 2022, 12 per cent smoked daily among people with compulsory school education and among people with post–secondary education, 2 per cent smoked daily (figure 2). The proportion of daily smoking is higher among people on sickness benefit or other activity compensation (17 per cent), people seeking employment (11 per cent) and among people with lower income (10 per cent), compared to the average proportion of daily smokers in the population (6 per cent).
Figure 2. Daily tobacco smoking in people 25–84 years during the period 2004–2022, according to educational level (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Year 2009 and earlier included only people up to 74 years.
Lower proportion of young people smoking daily
In 2022, the lowest proportion of daily tobacco smoking, 4 per cent, was seen in the younger age groups 16–29 years and 30–44 years (figure 3). The proportions reporting daily smoking were 7 and 8 per cent in the age groups 45–64 and 65–84 years, respectively.
Figure 3. Daily tobacco smoking in different age groups during the period 2004–2022 (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Higher proportion of young people smoking occasionally
In 2022, approximately 5 per cent reported occasional tobacco smoking. The highest proportion, 8 per cent, was seen in the youngest age group and the lowest, 2 per cent, was seen in the oldest age group (figure 4).
Figure 4. Occasional tobacco smoking in women and men and for different age groups (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Snus use (moist tobacco)
The question regarding snus use was changed in the questionnaire in 2022 to be able to differentiate between types of snus. Two separate questions were used, one question for the use of tobacco snus (containing tobacco and nicotine) and one for the use of nicotine pouches (containing only nicotine).
Total daily snus use is increasing among young people, especially women
Daily snus use differs between women and men. In 2022, approximately 20 per cent of men and 7 per cent of women reported daily snus use (figure 5). Daily snus use has increased among younger people in recent years and most clearly among women. Daily snus use has increased from 3 per cent in 2018 to 12 per cent in 2022 in the youngest age group 16–29 years.
Figure 5. Daily snus use in women and men, 16–84 years, during the period 2004–2022 (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Higher proportion of occasional snus use among young people
In 2022, approximately 3 per cent reported occasional snus use. The highest proportion, 7 per cent, was seen in the youngest age group and the lowest, 1 per cent, was seen in the oldest age group (figure 6).
Figure 6. Occasional snus use in women and men and for different age groups (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Use of nicotine pouches is most common among young women
The use of nicoine pouches, daily or occasionally, was most common among younger women. The proportion was highest in the youngest age group among both women and men and lowest in the oldest age groups (figure 7). In the youngest age group, 16–29 years, approximately 18 per cent of the women and 12 per cent of men reported use of nicotine pouches daily or occasionally.
Figure 7. Nicotine pouches use daily or occasionally in women and men and for different age groups 2022 (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Use of tobacco snus is most common among men
The use of tobacco snus, daily or occasionally, is most common among men in all age groups as compared to women (figure 8). The highest proportion is seen in the age groups 30–44 and 45–64 years.
Figure 8. Tobacco snus use daily or occasionally in women and men and for different age groups 2022 (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
E-cigarettes
Use of e-cigarettes
E-cigarette use was included in the questionnaire for the first time in 2018. In 2022, approximately 2 per cent of the population 16–84 years reported e-cigarette use and a quarter of them daily use. The proportion of e-cigarette use, daily or occasionally, was highest in the youngest age group (8 per cent among women and 5 per cent among men) and lowest in the oldest age group (0.5 per cent among women and 0.7 per cent among men) (figure 9). There is a clear increase in e-cigarette use in the youngest age group and especially among women from year 2020.
Figure 9. E-cigarette use daily or occasionally in women and men and for different age groups (percentage).
Source: The National public health survey, Public Health Agency of Sweden.