Only one in three of those who still smoke in Norway want to quit once and for all. Those who insist on their smoking habits and rituals need to be given a real alternative, says researcher.
“The results of our study shows that it might be about time to better facilitate a transition from dangerous tobacco products to less harmful ones, such as e-cigarettes and snus (dry snuff)”, says tobacco researcher Karl Erik Lund at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).
He is one of the authors behind an article about willingness to quit among those who still smoke (link in Norwegian).
Around nine per cent of Norwegians aged 16-74 smoked daily in 2020 according to figures from Statistics Norway. Another eight per cent respond that they smoke every now and then.
More than 15 per cent of the world’s population uses tobacco, according to the World Health Organization.
Norway is famous for its high prices on alcohol and cigarettes, which is part of the country’s public health strategy. In fact, the price of alcohol and tobacco in Norway is 120 per cent above the European average.
Ida Irene Bergstrom – Sciencenorway.com – 2021-08-26.