According to the joint Nordic survey, the proportion of daily smokers in Denmark has fallen from 21.4% in 2014 to 13.6% in 2024, corresponding to a relative decrease of 36.4%. When all nicotine products are considered together (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, snus and nicotine pouches), daily nicotine use remains at around 20% of the adult population.
The figures also point to social inequality: adults with a lower level of education are more likely to use nicotine daily than those with a higher level of education – both for cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products.
Shift from smoking to other nicotine products
According to Sisse Fagt, Senior Adviser at the DTU National Food Institute and project manager for the survey, the development points to a change in behaviour in how nicotine is consumed. Cigarettes still account for most daily nicotine use, but people in Denmark now also use other nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, snus and nicotine pouches – particularly younger adults. The figures show that 3.8% of adults use e-cigarettes daily, and 4.1% use snus or nicotine pouches daily.
“Smoke-free nicotine products do not expose the body to the same combustion products as tobacco smoke, but they still contain nicotine, which can cause dependence and affect, among other things, the cardiovascular system. The survey has not measured disease directly, but habits that may have an impact on risk in the longer term. We therefore cannot say whether an individual person becomes better or worse off by switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes or snus. What we can see is that nicotine use does not disappear even though smoking is declining – and that is important to bear in mind when assessing the impact of preventive measures,” says Sisse Fagt.
Differences in nicotine use by education, sex and age
The survey shows differences in nicotine use across education, sex and age. In Denmark, 33.1% of adults with a lower level of education use nicotine daily, compared with 17.3% among those with a medium-length education and 10.1% among those with a long-cycle higher education.
“This is a pattern that is also seen in other health surveys, where tobacco and nicotine are among the factors that contribute to social inequality in disease and mortality. The survey does not explain the underlying causes, but it does indicate that education is an important background variable when analysing nicotine use,” says Sisse Fagt.
Sex also plays a role. Around 25% of men and 15% of women use a nicotine product daily. For snus and nicotine pouches, the difference is more marked: around 7% of men use them daily, compared with around 1% of women.
E-cigarettes, snus and nicotine pouches are most frequently used among younger adults, whereas daily cigarette smoking is more common in older age groups.
Denmark compared with the other Nordic countries
When Denmark is compared with the other Nordic countries, the same overall development is seen: fewer daily smokers, but a relatively stable share of the population using nicotine daily, because smoke-free products are becoming more common.
Denmark is among the countries where e-cigarettes account for a relatively large share of nicotine use, while the use of snus and nicotine pouches is lower than Sweden and Norway, where snus has a long history. In all countries, smoke-free nicotine is most widespread among younger adults and men, whereas cigarette smoking is more common in older age groups.
About the survey methods
The survey monitors developments in the Nordic countries among children (7–12 years) and adults (18–65 years) in relation to diet, physical activity and overweight as well as alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products. Data were collected in 2011, 2014 and 2024 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
The survey is a cross-sectional study based on samples drawn from national population registers. In 2024, around 1,000 adults and 500 children were invited to take part in each country. Data were collected through a combination of structured telephone interviews and online questionnaires (mixed-mode). The responses are weighted for age, sex and education, so that the results are representative at population level in each country and can be compared across the Nordic region.
Read more
See the full report: NORMO 2025 – NORDIC MONITORING 2014 - 2024: Status and development of diet, physical activity, use of nicotine products, alcohol and overweight.
See also the DTU National Food Institute’s theme site on nutrition and dietary habits.
