A day without tobacco 31.05.2022 - Quit for the environment!

Protecting the environment is another reason to quit tobacco use.

This year's International Day of Action against Tobacco Use is dedicated to tobacco as a threat to our environment. Address the negative environmental impact of tobacco and highlight the global adverse effects of tobacco use on the environment, economy, communities and human health.

The damage from tobacco use is well known, and over 8 million people die every year from tobacco use. The production of tobacco harms our environment from cultivation and production, through distribution and consumption and, ultimately, as waste. The adverse effects continue to increase due to unnecessary pressure on the Earth's resources and fragile ecosystems.

The World Health Organisation encourages everyone, especially young people, to call for a policy that holds the tobacco industry accountable for the environmental impact it causes.

There has been a reduction in smoking in Iceland over the past few decades, both among men and women. Daily smoking is currently up 6% so far this year among adults. However, for young people 18-24 years of age, daily smoking is still lower, at just over 1%.

The use of lip tobacco, which has been significant among young people in recent years, is now very low. The use of lip tobacco is on the decline due to a sharp increase in the use of nicotine patches. Imports of nicotine patches to Iceland increased significantly in 2019-2020. About a third of men aged 18 to 44 and women aged 18 to 24 use nicotine patches, and this is the most commonly used method of daily use.

The Ministry of Health published a second draft of the legislation amending the Act on Electronic Cigarettes in a government consultation portal last January. The bill aims to add nicotine products such as tobacco-free nicotine pads to the law. The aim is to establish clear and comprehensive rules on authorisations for the import, sale and marketing of nicotine products, as well as rules governing their control, to ensure a higher level of safety. The Directorate of Health considers it necessary to introduce laws to cover these products, given their increased use over a short period of time.

You can get help free of charge in online chats to stop using tobacco and nicotine. The website Heilsuvera.is is open every day from 8 to 22.