Politics

The Netherlands is considering a total ban on nicotine pouches, something that disappoints consumers who have found a viable substitute for the more harmful act of smoking.

After weeks of negotiations, Finland’s new government has announced its government programme. The coalition government plans to regulate nicotine pouches and align them under the Tobacco Act. With this change, the government seeks to control the sale of nicotine pouches with the objective of preventing use among youths, curtailing grey market imports, and combating illegal trade.

The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) is urging the Swedish government to protect its consumer-friendly approach to snus, vaping, and nicotine pouches in the face of opposition from the EU and WHO.

The Czech Republic is considering extending its legislation on tobacco products and e-cigarettes to include nicotine pouches. All friends of nicotine pouches should welcome the Czech initiative.

Last year, the Brussels Times and the Environment and Public Health Institute – EPHI, organised a seminar on new tobacco-free nicotine products and the upcoming revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which regulates tobacco and nicotine products in all EU Member States. The seminar was held in the European Parliament.

Are you ready for a hefty tax increase on your favourite nicotine pouches? It’s on the cards, as the European Commission is considering revising the EU’s tobacco excise directive and implementing a minimum level of taxation across the EU for these products.

Due to the rapid growth of new products, technological developments, and market changes, the European Commission is evaluating the legislative framework for tobacco control from the first quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. And shortly, the European Commission is expected to present its proposal for a new Tobacco Excise Directive.

The Czech Republic took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, 2022. While the Czechs will need to carry the EU through an energy crisis, a war in Ukraine, and galloping inflation, they will also have a six-month window to shape public health policies.

The National Coalition Party of Finland (Finnish: Kansallinen Kokoomus, Swedish: Samlingspartiet), the liberal-conservative party in Finland, recently decided at its party congress to work towards making the sale of snus legal in Finland.

As Pouch Patrol reported earlier this year, the British government commissioned an independent review of smoking-related health disparities in February. The independent study, led by Javed Khan, was published last week and the recommendations align with harm reduction strategies.