VOA新闻杂志2023--Sweden Close to Becoming 'Smoke Free' Country

Sweden is getting close to becoming the first "smoke-free" country in the European Union (EU). The country of 10.5 million people has had the lowest percentage of smokers¹ in the EU for many years.

A country is "smoke-free" if less than five percent of the population smokes daily.

Only 6.4 percent of Swedes over the age of 15 were daily smokers in 2019. That was the lowest percentage in the EU. The Eurostat statistics² agency³ says that across the 27 countries of the EU, the average was 18.5 percent.

Data from the Public Health Agency of Sweden show that the smoking rate has continued to fall, reaching 5.6 percent last year.

"We like a healthy way to live, I think that's the reason," said Carina Astorsson, who lives in Stockholm. Smoking never interested her, she added, because "I don't like the smell; I want to take care of my body."

Sweden says its anti-smoking actions improve health in several ways, including a lower rate of lung cancer.

Ulrika Arehed is secretary-general of the Swedish Cancer Society. She said Sweden was early to limit smoking in public places such as school playgrounds. Later, the country added smoking bans for outdoor restaurants and bus stations. The country also increased taxes on cigarettes and changed rules on how they can be sold.

However, other forms of tobacco remain popular in Sweden. Snus is a wet tobacco powder placed in the mouth next to the teeth.

Snus makers⁵ say their products help reduce cigarette smoking. But health officials say snus is another product that makes people addicted⁶ to nicotine⁷, the main drug in tobacco.

"It is true that smoking is more harmful than most things you can do, including snus. But...there are many health risks even with snus," said Arehed.

Snus is such a popular part of Swedish culture that the country demanded an exemption⁸ to the EU's ban on smokeless tobacco when it joined the EU in 1995.

Patrik Hildingsson is a spokesman⁹ for Swedish Match, Sweden's top snus maker⁴. He said officials should urge the tobacco industry to develop less harmful choices to smoking such as snus and e-cigarettes.

If snus and similar products are included, the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that more than 20 percent of adults in Sweden use tobacco. This brings Sweden close to the world average.

"Switching from one harmful product to another is not a solution," the WHO said in an email to The Associated Press.

Tove Marina Sohlberg is a researcher at Stockholm University's Department of Public Health Sciences. She said Sweden's anti-smoking rules have pushed smokers away from public spaces.

"We are sending signals to the smokers that this is not accepted by society," she said.

The WHO marked "World No Tobacco Day" on Wednesday.

Words in This Story

exemption –n. freedom from being required to do something that others are required to do

switch –v. to change from one thing to another

1 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

2 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。

3 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

4 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

5 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

7 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。

8 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

9 spokesman   

n.发言人，代言人

参考例句：

• The government spokesman gave a quick briefing to the reporters.政府发言人向记者们作了情况简介。
• They drew lots to decide who should be their spokesman.他们抽签决定谁是他们的发言人。