Despite threats of a ban, the Finnish government is now wavering on the issue of nicotine pouches. The products, which until a month ago were classified as medicinal products and only available with a prescription, will be allowed to be sold in regular shops in the future. At the same time, 'white snus' will be regulated under the same laws as tobacco products.
According to the newly formed government official programs, nicotine pouches with a maximum of 20 mg of nicotine per pouch will be allowed to be sold under license and age verification. The products will also be taxed in the same way as e-liquid and e-cigarettes.
Handed out empty cans
For Ida Leino, President of the Youth League of the National Coalition Party the government's announcement is a victory. The Finnish Youth Federation has been working to make nicitine pouches, i.e. "white snus", legal to sell over the counter in Finland. Recently, the union even stood outside Parliament and handed out empty snuff boxes.
"It got a lot of media attention, actually. We put up stickers saying that the state is losing €70 million a year because of the black market," says Ida Leino to Vejpkollen.
Want to overcome the mill
According to Ida Leino regulation is important to curb the rise in use, especially among younger people. She is very pleased with the decision to introduce regulation instead of further bans.
"There are already many young people using these products and they buy them on a black market. We need tools to control their use. With regulation we can control it better. For example, through taxation, we can finance controls on sales and the harm that use can cause." she tells Vejpkollen.
"Flavors aimed at adults"
While allowing the sale, the government is imposing restrictions on the flavors. According to the government's explanation, nicotine pouches may only be provided with "flavors aimed at adults". The flavor ban follows the provisions of the Finnish Tobacco Act, where both tobacco and tobacco-free nicotine products are strictly regulated in terms of flavoring.
Unclear about tobacco flavors
For tobacco products, this currently means that no flavor additives can alter the original taste, i.e. pure, burnt tobacco. For e-liquid and e-cigarettes it means that the only flavoring allowed is so-called 'tobacco flavoring' (usually a mix of dark chocolate, bark and smoke flavoring).
What should apply to nicotine pouches is unclear. Like e-liquid, which is mostly composed of glycerine and propylene glycol, nicotine pouches have no original taste as they are made of plant cellulose.
Traditional snus is still banned from sale in Finland - a ban that applies to all EU countries except Sweden.
