Finland Regulates Nicotine Pouches, Bans Flavors, Online Sales

The Finnish Parliament has recently passed comprehensive legislation regulating nicotine pouches for the first time, placing them outside the purview of pharmaceutical legislation. The new regulations include a comprehensive flavor ban, nicotine content restrictions, and a ban on all online sales. This decision comes after a year of unrestricted sales of nicotine pouches in the country.

Carissa Düring, ambassador of the user organization Considerate Pouchers, warns, “Now we will once again see a huge black market establishing itself.” The new regulations limit flavors to mint, tea, ginger, rosemary, and wood, while nicotine concentration is capped at 16.5 mg per gram. Pouches must weigh between 0.5 and 1 gram, and all online sales, including private imports via courier services, are prohibited.

Transition from Prohibition to Regulation

Prior to the past year, Finland regulated nicotine pouches as pharmaceutical products, limiting their sale to pharmacies with very low nicotine strength. However, border trade with Sweden and extensive smuggling ran parallel to the unpopular pharmacy sales. The previous government initially aimed to ban nicotine pouches altogether but ultimately deregulated the products in anticipation of swift new legislation. This decision allowed all shops to sell them without any restrictions pending the forthcoming ban.

The new government, elected in 2023, decided against a complete ban and instead opted to regulate nicotine pouches in the same manner as other nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and cigarettes.

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Finland Regulates Nicotine Pouches

Concerns Over Cross-Border Trade and Black Market

As Finland implements these new regulations, warnings of a continued black market emerge from the Social Democratic opposition. MP Kim Berg has called on governments in the Nordic Council to find a common policy on white snus, stating that a common upper limit in the Nordic region would reduce the risk of smuggling and cross-border trade.

The government acknowledges the potential need for harmonization, particularly if other Nordic countries provide for lower nicotine content limits or stricter restrictions on flavorings or additives.

Impact of Regularization on Customs Seizures

Nicotine pouches, like traditional snus, have gained popularity in Finland. Private imports of snus bought at the Swedish/Finnish border are extensive, as tobacco snus is banned in Finland but not in Sweden. The same has been true for nicotine pouches. Until last year, when nicotine pouches were also banned from sale in ordinary shops, their import and smuggling was significantly higher than at present. Finnish Customs reports that seizures of snus and nicotine pouches fell by 80 percent last year after nicotine pouches became available in shops.

User Concerns and Potential Consequences

Despite the full authorization of nicotine pouch sales in Finland, the legislation raises concerns among users. Carissa Düring, responsible for the consumer-driven association Considerate Pouchers, believes that limiting flavors to a fraction of those actually available is a significant mistake. She warns that the restriction on flavors may deter people from switching to nicotine pouches as a healthier alternative to cigarettes, and in the worst case, some may return to smoking.

Düring also predicts that the legislation will favor an already extensive black market, as there is still a clear demand for various flavors and strengths. She notes that smuggling of snus from Sweden to Finland has long taken place in large volumes but decreased significantly since nicotine pouches became legal. The new regulations may lead to an increase in smuggling in the future.

Possession Ban for Minors

Alongside the regulation of nicotine pouches, the possession of various nicotine products will also be banned for persons under 18 years of age. This means that teachers, like the police, can seize and confiscate e-cigarettes, snuff boxes, or cigarettes found on a minor. The law works similarly to other drugs but without the penalty.

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Matthew Ma

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With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.