Jack up cigarette prices significantly to stop juvenile smokers, politicians urged

More bad news for smokers, as new report recommends raising the price of a packet of 20 to at least 80 kroner

The best way to stop young people smoking is to price them out of the cigarette market. That seems to be the message from a new report complied by the prevention council, Vidensråd for Forebyggelse.

READ ALSO: Increasing numbers of young Danes smoking, report reveals

The report’s authors examined all the scientific evidence on the subject and recommend a price of between 80 and 90 kroner per packet if there is to be any significant deterrent to stop children and young people starting smoking, reports Politiken.

Stick more effective than carrot
“A price increase is the most effective initiative possible – so much more effective than the alternatives,” said the chairman of the working group behind the report, Dr Jøregen Vestbo.

The government has set a target of a smoke-free generation by 2030, but at present it does not appear that this goal is attainable – particularly as the number of juvenile smokers has increased in recent years.

“Unfocused information campaigns don’t work, but higher prices do. It’s here in black and white. It is hypocritical to think the result will be a smoke-free generation if we don’t use the means that have a proven effect,” said Vestbo.

All well and good you may say, but it appears that the findings are too heady a brew for Danish politicians – or their voters – to swallow.

Going off at half cock
This is strange because recently some 59 percent of Danes expressed support for raising the price of cigarettes to the same level as in Norway where a pack of 20 costs 90 kroner, according to an Epinion poll for DR. Such a rise would correspond to an increase of 125 percent as a pack currently costs around 40 kroner.

Today, Parliament is giving the first reading to a bill proposed by Alternativet – but only for a price increase of 65 kroner, as hardly any politicians are willing to go further.

However, neither Liberal Alliance nor Dansk Folkeparti support significant price increases. A Liberal Alliance spokesperson has even said that the party believes smoking is a personal matter that the state should not interfere in.

The red bloc parties have expressed a willingness to raise the price, but will not commit themselves to saying exactly how much by.

Norway in front
Norway has managed to reduce smoking amongst young people significantly since 1990. Today, a packet of cigarettes costs just under 100 Norwegian kroner (ca 80 Danish kroner) and only 2 percent of 16 to 24-year-olds smoke daily. Twelve years ago, when cigarettes were cheaper, the figure was 23 percent.

Despite this, the Norwegian state has managed a 90 percent increase in tobacco duty over the same period, despite falling sales and the amount of cigarettes being smuggled in and bought cheaply over the border. This is because the state now earns more per packet.

By way of contrast, in Denmark the number of smokers aged 16-45 has gone up from 15 percent in 2013 to 16.2 percent in 2017.




  • Ryanair cancels all flights to and from Billund 

    Ryanair cancels all flights to and from Billund 

    Ryanair has increased its cuts from the Billund-Aalborg route to encompass its entire operation to and from Billund Airport. The airline’s scarce communication is leaving both the airport and passengers scrambling for answers.

  • What do Danes do for “Vinterferie”?

    What do Danes do for “Vinterferie”?

    As tradition has it, many Danes take a week off for Vinterferie next week. Or the week after. It’s a bit confusing, especially since Christmas and New Year’s Holiday are not far away. What’s going on?

  • The educational options for internationals in Denmark

    The educational options for internationals in Denmark

    Denmark offers free public education, but private schools and universities for non-EU students require tuition. Language is a barrier, with international schools available for children and limited English-taught university programs. In 2024, Denmark expanded university seats for internationals and introduced an HF-international program in Aarhus.

  • Aarhus Gymnasium is launching Denmark’s first HF program for internationals

    Aarhus Gymnasium is launching Denmark’s first HF program for internationals

    Aarhus Gymnasium is launching Denmark’s first HF-international program in August, offering young adult internationals an alternative to IB programs with a focus on career-oriented education and Danish language learning. Unlike IB, it reduces academic pressure while providing access to vocational schools and professional bachelor’s degrees

  • Top Danish companies report strong financial performance

    Top Danish companies report strong financial performance

    Some of Denmark’s leading companies reported solid financial results for 2024, with Lundbeck, Demant, and Vestas seeing growth, while Pandora tackled rising production costs with price increases and cost-saving measures.

  • Greenland restricts foreign property purchases and election donations

    Greenland restricts foreign property purchases and election donations

    These days, the Greenlandic institutions are approving two new norms to restrict, reduce, or ban the possibility for foreign citizens to buy real estate on the island, as well as for political parties to receive large amounts of money from foreign donors.