Quit Like Sweden

‘Quit Like Sweden’ is a campaign established in 2024,¹² and launched in Brazil.³⁴

Background

Quit Like Sweden’s website states that “Sweden has a comprehensive approach that combines smoking cessation and prevention measures and programmes with policies that enable people who smoke to choose alternatives instead. It is working. We call it the Swedish Experience.”¹

Tobacco companies have long lobbied to have the EU ban on snus sales removed, arguing that lives can be saved if people are given access to less harmful tobacco alternatives. The ‘Swedish Experience’ is often used as a way to support the argument that switching smokers to snus can be an effective harm reduction approach. However, others contend that strong Swedish tobacco control measures instead played a significant role in reducing male smoking prevalence.

• For more information see The Swedish Experience

The Quit Like Sweden website does not have information about funders, but accepts donations.¹ The website is managed by QLS Policy & Planning Limited (previously Castro Consulting),⁵ a UK limited company set up in March 2024, whose sole director is Suely Castro.⁶⁷

Relationship to the Tobacco Industry

Quit Like Sweden’s website lists the people associated with the campaign on its ‘About’ page, including: ¹⁸

Suely Castro

According to the website Castro founded Quit Like Sweden.⁸ Castro is an employee of Knowledge-Action-Change, a grantee of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW, now known as Global Action to End Smoking).¹⁹ FSFW was solely funded by Philip Morris International (PMI) under a multi-year pledge (2018-23).¹⁰ Castro previously worked for the industry consultancy, the Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR).¹¹

Dr Anders Milton

According to the Quit Like Sweden website, Milton is chair of the tobacco industry funded Snus Commission, based in Sweden. ²¹²¹³ Milton also spoke at the launch of a “Smoke Free Sweden” report in March 2023, titled “The Swedish Experience: A roadmap for a smoke-free society”.¹⁴¹⁵ See Delon Human for more information on Smoke Free Sweden.

Professor Marewa Glover

Glover established the Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking (COREISS) which was funded up to September 2024 by grants from FSFW/Global Action to End Smoking.⁸

Activities and events

Since launching in April 2024, Quit Like Sweden has organised a number of events, many in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Brazil launch

The campaign launch event was held in Brasilia, Brazil in April 2024.¹⁶¹⁷ Castro described the goal as being to “encourage other countries, starting with Brazil” to follow the Swedish model.⁴

The event presented “Lives Saved” research, which states that one of the harm reduction strategies adopted by Sweden was the introduction of electronic smoking devices.¹⁸ Since 2009, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) has banned electronic smoking devices and accessories in Brazil.¹⁹ The Quit Like Sweden campaign was launched just before ANVISA’s decision to strengthen restrictions against e-cigarettes in Brazil.²⁰

UK

Quit Like Sweden co-organised an event in London, UK in December 2024, with the think tank network ‘We Are Innovation’, titled “Leading with Innovation: Sweden’s Path to Smoke-Free”.²¹²²

South Africa

In May 2025,  an event in Cape Town, South Africa was aimed at “public health leaders, policymakers, and harm reduction advocates”.^23242526 It urged the government to consider the Swedish experience and amend its tobacco control legislation to support the use of other products.²³

Spain

In July 2025, Quit Like Sweden organised an event in Madrid, called “Can Spain Quit Like Sweden?”.²⁷ At the time, the Spanish Ministry of Health was proposing new tobacco control regulations, including for nicotine pouches.²⁸²⁹

Poland

According to its website, Quit Like Sweden was invited to participate in a conference at the Polish Parliament in Warsaw on 6 October.³⁰ QLS hosted a panel featuring Castro and Karl Fagerstrom (a member of the Snus Commission and founder member of SCOHRE).³⁰

Nigeria

At an event on 15 October 2025 in Abuja,³¹ Castro urged the Nigerian government to adopt a harm-reduction approach to reduce smoking-related diseases and deaths, stating that Quit Like Sweden “works with local partners who understand Nigeria’s complexities, to ensure the effective adaptation of policies.”³²³³

Sri Lanka

An event on 11 November 2025, in Colombo,³⁴ was promoted to media as “South Asia’s first Quit Like Sweden Anti-Tobacco Round Table”.³⁵ Speakers included Castro, Fagerstrom, Glover and Nancy Loucas (CAPHRA, see Factasia).³⁶

Quit Like Sweden events are detailed on its website.³⁷

Relevant Link

• Quit Like Sweden website

Tobacco Tactics Resources

• Harm Reduction
• The Swedish Experience
• Delon Human (including the ‘Smoke-Free Sweden’ campaign)
• Snus
• Cigarette Companies Investing in Snus
• Nicotine Pouches