The report, titled Tale of Two Nations: UAE v Sweden, highlights a decline in smoking prevalence among adults in the UAE.

According to the study, the proportion of adults who smoked daily or occasionally fell from 14.7% in 2019 to 11.1% in 2024, while daily smoking reached approximately 7%.

These figures reflect progress in the country's tobacco control efforts, including public health awareness and regulatory measures.

However, the report suggests that further reductions may be possible through continued policy development and closer examination of international approaches to smoking prevention.

Sweden recorded an adult daily smoking rate of 5.3% in 2024, according to the report, placing it among Europe's lowest-smoking countries.

The study's authors attribute part of this outcome to a strategy that combines conventional tobacco control measures with access to non-combustible nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes and oral tobacco products.

Unlike traditional cigarettes, these alternatives do not involve burning tobacco, which may reduce exposure to certain harmful chemicals when smokers switch completely.

However, reduced exposure does not mean these products are safe. Nicotine remains addictive, and alternative products carry health risks. Sweden's smoking rates also reflect a combination of public policies, social influences and behavioural factors rather than any single intervention.

The findings therefore offer an interesting perspective on tobacco harm reduction without establishing nicotine alternatives as the sole explanation for Sweden's progress.

The Smoke Free Sweden report encourages policymakers to examine international experiences when developing future tobacco control strategies.

In the UAE, certain alternative nicotine products are already permitted under specific regulations, creating opportunities to study their potential role alongside established prevention and smoking cessation programmes.

The report also highlights the importance of collecting reliable data, communicating health risks clearly and protecting young people and non-smokers from nicotine use.

For adult smokers, access to evidence-based cessation support remains essential. Although switching completely from cigarettes to some non-combustible products may reduce exposure to certain toxic substances, the long-term health implications vary by product and are not fully understood.

Ultimately, the UAE-Sweden comparison highlights the value of combining public education, effective regulation and scientific research. Quitting smoking and nicotine entirely remains the healthiest choice, while preventing nicotine addiction continues to be a central public health priority.