Cigarette sales falling

The Danish Tax Ministry has released figures showing a 14 percent decline in cigarette sales from 2017 to 2018. The fall in cigarette sales could be attributed to more people using products such as e-cigarettes, Swedish-style snuff, or heat-not-burn tobacco.

“People are smoking less because it has become more inconvenient; it’s simply more difficult to be allowed to smoke in public spaces,” said tobacco researcher Charlotta Pisinger.

“This is excellent,” said Jesper Fisker, CEO of the Danish cancer organisation Kræftens Bekæmpelse. “The fewer cigarettes sold the better, and it would be wonderful if the trend continues.”

Health minister Ellen Trane Nørby said that even though fewer cigarettes are being sold “we’re nowhere near attaining our goal. We must remember there is no one simple solution and that we must work on a number of fronts to get the number of smokers down.”