Articles about Opinions
COP11: dysfunction over harm reduction reveals WHO ‘in crisis’
COP11: dysfunction over harm reduction reveals WHO ‘in crisis’
With the WHO COP11 meetings in Geneva now over, Snusforumet catches up with Patrik Strömer of the Association of Swedish Snus Manufacturers for an analysis of what happened, why, and what it means for tobacco and nicotine regulation moving forward. The par...
Outrage over Sweden’s COP11 cop-out on harm reduction to ‘health fascists’
Outrage over Sweden’s COP11 cop-out on harm reduction to ‘health fascists’
Just days after Snusforumet reported on growing concerns that Sweden might weaken its long-standing harm-reduction stance at WHO COP11, a Swedish MEP has slammed the government’s actions in Geneva as bowing to...
COP11 slams, rather than celebrates, Sweden’s smoke-free success
COP11 slams, rather than celebrates, Sweden’s smoke-free success
Anti-tobacco and nicotine advocacy groups devoted an entire COP11 side event in Geneva on Tuesday to questioning the role of snus and nicotine pouches in Sweden’s historic collapse in smoking rates. The 75-...
COP11 preview: ‘Why won’t the WHO simply look at what works?’
COP11 preview: ‘Why won’t the WHO simply look at what works?’
As delegates head to Geneva for the WHO’s COP11, the world faces a crossroads in tobacco policy. With over a billion smokers still lighting up, some argue it’s time to shift focus from ideology to impact. “If ...
COP11 vs COP30: 7 ways FCTC falls short on transparency and harm reduction
COP11 vs COP30: 7 ways FCTC falls short on transparency and harm reduction
As the WHO's FCTC COP11 prepares to gather in Geneva, the UN-backed COP30 is also set to kick off in Belém: two COPs, two countries – and two wildly different approaches to tackling global challenges. Snusforu...
Norway snus policy: ‘illogical and unrealistic’
Norway snus policy: ‘illogical and unrealistic’
Norway wants to become a nicotine-free society, yet has banned tobacco-free nicotine pouches, resulting in cross-border trade, smuggling, and lost tax revenue. Bjørn Magnus Bjørnstad, CEO of the Norwegian trad...
Swedish politicians resist anti-nicotine dogma, embrace pragmatic progress
Swedish politicians resist anti-nicotine dogma, embrace pragmatic progress
As the EU wrestles with another round of tobacco policy reform amid a flurry of anti-nicotine propaganda, the debate about nicotine regulation shows no signs of letting up. In Sweden, however, where smoking ra...
Will Sweden dare to export its own vaccine against smoking?
Will Sweden dare to export its own vaccine against smoking?
Snus is one of Sweden's most successful innovations, but politics lags behind in taking steps to reap the full public health benefits. Industry leaders, researchers, and politicians gathered recently to discus...
Swedish MEP Jessica Polfjärd: Europe needs more snus, not more bans
Swedish MEP Jessica Polfjärd: Europe needs more snus, not more bans
As EU leaders prepare to overhaul tobacco rules, Swedish MEP Jessica Polfjärd is calling for a reality check — and defending Sweden’s success story in the fight against smoking. “Snus is already banned outs...