Use of nicotine products by children and young people in the Nordic region

Among other things, nicotine affects brain development, which can potentially have consequences for cognition, attention, learning, mood and behaviour. It is therefore of the utmost importance that children and young people are protected from becoming addicted to nicotine, regardless of the type of nicotine product in question.

In recent years, new types of tobacco-free nicotine products have been launched on the market, such as electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches – so-called white snus. Many of the new types of tobacco-free nicotine products appeal to children and young people, but what does the trend in the use of the products actually look like among this target group in the Nordic region?

The harmful effects on public health of using tobacco have been known for many years. Many preventive and structural initiatives have been taken to limit the use of tobacco, both in the Nordic countries and globally. But what about similar initiatives when it comes to new types of tobacco-free nicotine products?

Project results

The project will deliver a report that will be published in early 2025, with the aim of being able to be used in ongoing tobacco and nicotine prevention work in the Nordic countries, to protect children and young people from developing nicotine addiction.

The report will try to answer the questions above and will focus among other things on the following:

• A survey and analysis of trends in the use of tobacco-free nicotine products among children and young people in the Nordic Region.
  • The survey and analysis will clarify whether there is a similar development in the use of tobacco-free nicotine products in all the Nordic countries.
• A study of whether there are examples of initiatives in one or more of the Nordic countries that have shown an effect in the form of fewer new users of nicotine products, which can serve as an inspiration and be spread to the other Nordic countries.

More relevant topics for the report may be added during the project’s development.

Nordic Welfare Centre is working with the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark to write the report.

Target audience

The primary target audience for the project and the report includes officials in ministries, government agencies, regions and municipalities. The report is also aimed at other people who work with and have an interest in children’s and young people’s use of nicotine products.