Vaping seen as a blessing in Iceland

The e-cigarette is seeing major success internationally, as more and more scientific studies confirm its health benefits. This device appears to be the most effective way to curb smoking habits, and Icelanders agree.

Health professionals in Iceland are welcoming the arrival of the e-cigarette, which has led to a significant reduction in the smoking rate. While 14% of the island’s 330,000 inhabitants were smokers in 2014, in 2024 the number of smokers dropped to 9%.

These statistics, calculated by the Icelandic Health Directorate, are more than encouraging. According to Doctor Guðmundur Karl Snæbjörnsson, “smoking is falling like a rock,” and he considers the phenomenon “miraculous.” Up until this point, no country had seen such a significant decline in its national smoking rate.

 

Vaping: far from being encouraged internationally

Despite the positive results in Iceland, other countries are not yet convinced about the benefits of vaping. For example, Australia remains reluctant to adopt e-cigarettes and continues to restrict access to users.

The Cancer Council Australia, a group of oncologists, considers the use of e-cigarettes harmful, especially e-liquids containing nicotine. Liquid nicotine is, in fact, considered a poison by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Australian oncologists are advising their compatriots to stay away from vaping.

Faced with restrictive vaping policies in Australia, the decline in smoking rates is currently stagnating. The electronic alternatives to tobacco are difficult to access, and their use is limited in some countries, including France. Conversely, traditional cigarettes are readily available and the increase in the price of cigarettes packets does not seem to be bearing any fruits for the time being.

It will thus be necessary to wait a few more years before the Icelandic approach to vaping as an alternative to cigarettes is accepted unanimously.