A study published in Nature Health suggests that integrating smoke-free nicotine products into tobacco control strategies could reduce smoking to below 5% by 2040.

A comprehensive analysis published in the journal Nature Health, conducted by public health experts Robert Beaglehole, Ruth Bonita, and Tikki Pang, emphasizes that integrating smokeless nicotine products into tobacco control strategies could significantly accelerate the global decline of smoking. The authors propose an ambitious goal: reducing the prevalence of smoking to below 5% by 2040. They warn that traditional tobacco control policies will not yield rapid reductions if they are not adapted.

Smoking remains a major cause of death, with over seven million victims annually, and the economic costs are substantial. The authors suggest a differentiated regulation, where cigarettes should be subject to the strictest regulations, while lower-risk alternatives should be accessible to adult smokers. Evidence shows that smokeless products reduce exposure to toxic substances, and international examples, such as Sweden and Japan, support this approach. The conclusion of the analysis is that there is a real opportunity to accelerate the decline of smoking by adapting control strategies.