The Public Health Agency of Sweden is stopping the sale of the nicotine analogue 6-methyl nicotine - known commercially as "NoNik" or "Metatine". The reason is that, in order to be sold, the products must first be registered and labelled under the Tobacco and Similar Products Act.
"The Public Health Agency of Sweden has conducted a scientific investigation of the substance 6-methyl nicotine and concluded that the substance is a nicotine-containing alkaloid. This means that it is covered by the definition of nicotine in EU rules and Swedish legislation. Electronic cigarettes, or nicotine products containing 6-methyl nicotine, are therefore subject to notification requirements, labelling requirements and health warnings." writes FHM in a press release.
According to the Agency, the synthetic nicotine analogue should be classified as regular nicotine. This means that the products must be registered, labelled with a health warning and may only be marketed in accordance with the restrictions that apply to other smokeless nicotine products. Until now, this has not been necessary or something that companies selling or manufacturing, for example, 'NoNic' or 'Metatine', have been able or required to do.
Cheaper and longer lifetime
Such as the Road Column previously reported a range of nicotine analogues have appeared on the shelves of vejpshoppers in recent months. As nicotine analogues are technically not a nicotine product, they cannot be registered or documented for sale in Sweden. At the same time, the substance has emerged as a cheaper alternative to the highly regulated nicotine.
Currently, a 'nicotine shot' with 6-methyl nicotine can, at least according to the manufacturers, contain a dose equivalent to up to 120 mg of nicotine per millilitre. In practice, this means that a 'metatineshot' lasts almost five times longer than a traditional nicotine shot, while costing half as much. For the pop-ready disposable models, it also means they bypass legislation and can contain more e-liquid. This significantly increases their lifespan, compared to regulated variants (the tank size of disposable models is limited by law to 2ml, leading to a lifespan of around 600 puffs).
"Not an unexpected decision
Niklas Linder, who runs Swedish Mixology, has been following developments and is not surprised that FHM is now putting its foot down.
"It was an expected decision, based on what we already knew. Now it remains to be seen how the tax authorities view the matter based on current nicotine taxation," says Niklas Linder to Vejpkollen.
"Includes most things"
At the moment we are developing several Chinese companies new nicotine analogues with the intention of replacing nicotine in e-liquid and e-cigarettes. But according to Niklas Linder, FHM's decision is likely to cover most variants that may be considered for launch.
"The Public Health Agency of Sweden's definition includes nicotine analogues that are "structurally similar". This may prevent a 'cat and mouse' game around 'new' nicotine analogues that are very likely to appear soon. But we'll see how it goes," says Niklas Linder.
Concerns about a dangerous black market
At the same time, he says that the development of nicotine analogues and similar substances could easily get out of hand if the authorities are not careful about how they interpret the law.
"My concern is that those nicotine analogues, which can actually be quite good from a consumer perspective, that is, where you can get the nicotine effect with a lower dose of the key substance and thus reduce potential risks, will be legislated away. What will remain are significantly cheaper and inferior variants that land on a potentially huge black market. It can be really dangerous in the end," says Niklas Linder.
Unclear what labelling should look like
What FHM's decision will mean in practice is still very unclear, both in terms of registration and labelling of nicotine analogues. Not least because 6-methyl nicotine is considered by both the public health authority and manufacturers to be up to five times as potent as regular nicotine liquid.
Vejpkollen has contacted the head of the FHM department responsible for the matter for a more detailed statement without success.
