The Norwegian government wants to allow e-cigarettes and e-liquid with nicotine. But only with tobacco flavors and an age limit of 25 years. This is the result of a government proposal that is now out for consultation.
"It is a violation of human rights that affects young smokers" says Frank Tinmannsvik, Norsk Dampselskap.
The Norwegian Ministry of Health wants to allow the sale of e-cigarettes with nicotine in the pack, which has previously been banned in Norway. And after several years of preparation, the Norwegian government has now presented a proposal, which allows the sale of e-cigarettes and e-juice with nicotine, but at the same time entails an unusually high age limit and a comprehensive taste ban.
"Young people perceive e-cigarettes with sweet flavors as less harmful compared to tobacco flavors. And by setting the age limit high, we protect young people, while making e-cigarettes available to older people who use them to quit smoking," the government writes.
Violating human rights
Frank Tinmannsvik, active in the consumer association Norwegian Steam Company is shocked by the announcement. One of the reasons is that analog cigarettes are already available to an 18-year-old in Norway.
"It makes me furious. We have a harm reduction policy in Norway. It's part of the agreement with the World Health Organization, WHO. Access to less harmful nicotine products is a human right. 18-year-olds can buy cigarettes. The government is violating human rights by withholding harm reduction products from young smokers" says Frank Tinmannsvik to Vejpkollen.
Want the same rules as neighboring countries
Norwegian vejpare has for years waiting for news on when e-cigarettes and nicotine e-liquid will become legal to sell in the country. Currently, nicotine-free e-liquid can only be bought in Norway. However, vegans can import nicotine e-liquid for personal use.
According to the government, Norway, as a non-EU country, was supposed to regulate e-cigarettes according to the guidelines of the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). But that was in 2019. The process of a new law took a long time and the current proposal is very different from how many other countries regulate vejp products. Neither flavor bans nor extremely high age limits are part of the TPD. However, the government cites neighboring countries as role models.
"We want similar legislation as Denmark and Finland and only allow tobacco flavors in the e-liquid. Sweden is also proposing this," writes the Norwegian Ministry of Health.
"A shameful proposal"
According to Frank Tinmannsvik Norsk Dampselskap will be protesting loudly against the government's proposed legislation. They have done so before, but then it was about the right to access e-cigarettes in the first place.
"The bureaucrats and politicians seem to have forgotten that 600 vejpers came forward in 2016 and, before Parliament, testified about how e-cigarettes help them quit smoking. It's as if it never happened. It's a disgraceful behavior and a disgraceful proposal"
Cigarettes are more attractive
He believes that the industry will also react. Restricting flavors in e-cigarettes takes the appearance of the products and is not likely to attract many smokers. At least not as long as cigarettes are more available and easier to obtain.
"Those who organize small shops and petrol stations are very likely to protest. They have long expressed a strong desire to sell harm reduction products" says Frank Timmansvik.
"E-cigarettes are compared to fidget spinners"
According to a study from last year, the number of vejp young people is relatively low in Norway. And according to sociologist Rikke Tokle the use of e-cigarettes is more of a trend than something that leads to nicotine addiction.
"Eighth graders are curious about e-cigarettes but rarely use them. Ninth graders are more likely to use e-cigarettes more regularly. But when we compared the trends for high school students, we found that fewer and fewer were using e-cigarettes. This simply seems to be a trend. Some young people described it in the same spirit as fidget spinners," writes Rikke Tokle in her study 'Vaping and fidget-spinners': A qualitative, longitudinal study of e-cigarettes in adolescence"
The Norwegian proposal for new legislation on e-cigarettes is out for consultation until the end of September 2021.
