Nicotine restriction for both snus and nicotine pouches.
A ban on the sale of nicotine products and a total ban on the use of smokeless nicotine, such as snus or e-cigarettes, during school hours.
This is now being proposed by a government study aimed at reducing nicotine use among young people.
"We have chosen not to distinguish between smoking and smokeless nicotine products, but believe that these changes should apply across the board," says the investigator Inga-Lill Askersjö.
After a six-month extension, additional directives and a shift in focus, the investigation into the new regulation of nicotine products that began as early as 2022 was published on Monday. main mission was to explore the possibility of changing the objective of the current tobacco control framework. The so-called ANDTS strategy currently focuses on reducing the prevalence of all nicotine use. At the same time, a majority in parliamentdays separate the use of cigarettes from the use of snus, e-cigarettes and other smokeless nicotine products in future strategies.
"We believe it is important to have a policy that makes a clear distinction between the harmfulness of different products and focuses on prevention and harm reduction. This is why we need a new overarching goal for the ANDTS policy and a new ANDTS strategy." said Johan Hultberg (m), member of the Social Affairs Committee, recently during a debate in Parliament.
"Had a child's perspective"
In the end, it was not harm reduction that was the focus of the investigation, says the investigator Inga-Lill Askesjö.
"We have taken a child perspective on these issues. And we find that there is no reason to have different legislation in this area or to differentiate between the requirements we impose on these different products. Whether it's snus or cigarettes. I don't know if there are other reasons to have different regulations for these products in other areas," Inga-Lill Askesjö tells Vejpkollen.
Maximum nicotine content for snus and nicotine pouches
The report proposes that both tobacco snuff and nicotine pouches should not contain more than 12 mg/gram of nicotine. Currently, the nicotine content of a "normal" tobacco pouch is between 8 and 10 mg/gram. But there are also other factors, such as moisture and pH value which ultimately determines nicotine delivery.
“Det var väldigt svårt att sätta en gräns. Men efter att ha jämfört hur olika länder gör, hur producenterna bedömer styrkan och experter på området säger så landade vi på 12 mg/gram. Men jag är säker på att den här diskussionen kommer att fortsätta innan det här förslaget kan bli verklighet” säger Inga-Lill Askersjö.
Ban on all nicotine use during school hours
Utredningen föreslår även att helt förbjuda bruk av nikotinprodukter under skoltid – hela vägen upp i gymnasiet. Enligt Inga-Lill Askersjö är det inte bara ett problem att bruket av nikotinpåsar har ökat i skolorna. Det handlar även om att bruket av nikotinpåsar blivit alltför synligt, menar hon.
"Young people do what their friends do. If they see a friend using snus or waving their can, there is a greater risk that others will follow suit. It is this use that we want to prevent. If it is not allowed to use snus during school hours, it is not as visible anymore and then perhaps fewer people will start" says Inga-Lill Askersjö.
"Need more discussion"
Inga-Lill Askersjö does not want to go into detail about how the ban will be monitored and enforced.
"This is an issue that needs to be discussed, how schools should handle this in relation to students. Even today, it is not considered appropriate to expel students who violate the smoking ban, or to confiscate cigarettes. It's more about informing students and parents that there is a ban. But it's something that the people involved need to discuss more." says Inga-Lill Askersjö.
Call to action for snus-using teachers
Teachers are also expected to comply with the spirit of the ban, even if it does not technically apply to them. According to Inga-Lill Askesjö, it's not really a problem that teachers vejpar or snuff. As long as it is not visible.
"I hope that teachers and other staff will interpret this to mean that they should not actually show that they are snuffing openly to the students. I think that will be natural. Of course you don't put your snuff box on the desk if you've just told your students to put theirs down." says Inga-Lill Askersjö to Vejpkollen.
Prohibition of drug dealing
The aim is to reduce nicotine use among those who are also not allowed to buy the products, says Inga-Lill- Askersjö. Another proposal is therefore to ban the sale of nicotine products to minors. This would be designed in a similar way to the ban on selling alcohol. At present, it is only illegal to sell nicotine products to minors.
"It will be a criminal offense to give or buy these products to anyone under eighteen. It also means that the police can seize nicotine products from a minor. It will be possible in any case, with the logic that a crime is likely to have been committed when the minor acquired the products" says Inga-Lill Askersjö.
Measures against black market trade
The so-called 'stockpiling' of nicotine products will also be prohibited. Tobacco products, e-cigarettes, refill containers and tobacco-free nicotine products will not be allowed to be stored in commercial premises or associated warehouses if they are not allowed to be sold on the premises. This means that, for example, unregistered e-cigarettes or cigarettes cannot even be present in shops, even if the owner does not intend to sell them.
"The reason for the ban is that the illicit trade in nicotine products has grown and become an important part of organized crime's income. This is a way to increase the possibilities to intervene against those who acquire goods that are clearly intended for the black market." says Inga-Lill Askersjö.
So damn bad shame
I think it is up to each individual to decide whether to use snuff or smoke; there are more important things for the government to deal with, such as widespread crime.
Isn't drug dealing already banned?
Otherwise, total idiocy, as usual in government investigations...
No, retailing is not prohibited for nicotine products. However, selling to people under 18 is prohibited. In other words, an 18-year-old can buy and sell to younger friends without penalty.
The most important thing is to ban the further development of tobacco products/nicotine products. Then those who are hooked can continue with their use, but young people will not be tempted to take over what old men and women are doing.
Banning 'development' is always tricky. Is it even possible? Moreover. If "development" means that nicotine use (which, after all, seems to be fairly constant, even across countries) is becoming less and less harmful, then surely "development" is a good thing, for all concerned?
Can not ban everything better educate young people about the dangers of smoking and snuffing show them pictures of, for example, lungs and other organs after long smoking and snuffing