Legislation & policy

This article is based on reporting originally published by the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. A link to the full story is provided below. Several European countries are tightening regulations on nicotine pouches, but France is going the furthest. From April 1, nicotine pouches will be classified under some of the country’s strictest laws, making possession, use, […]

EU tobacco policy is in free fall.  The Tobacco Tax Directive (TTD) now risks not only collapsing, but being hijacked in a political game that lacks any connection to reality.  At the same time, the third revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is underway. In principle, this is reasonable. The current directive dates back to 2014—a time when nicotine pouches did not even exist.  Fourteen EU countries have already regulated nicotine pouches. Only a handful have banned them. A total ban under TPD3 is therefore highly unlikely. Such a decision would require a qualified majority—and the Nordic countries will never support a ban on a product that demonstrably replaces cigarettes.  There are signs that several countries which currently ban nicotine pouches may be forced to rethink their position. The EU has previously called for more pragmatic regulatory frameworks. Yet just one more country is still missing to secure a blocking minority against a ban.  This is where the game hardens.  More and more governments are now signalling that the TTD is being held hostage until the Commission accepts a minimum tax level of €25 on nicotine pouches. A political horse‑trading exercise. This also stands in direct conflict with the major tobacco companies’ desire to get […]

Another compromise proposal on the EU’s new Tobacco Tax Directive (TTD) has now been circulated from Brussels. But behind the word “compromise” lies, in practice, the same fundamental failure as before. What we are seeing is unchanged, excessively high tax levels on risk-reduced nicotine products—now merely disguised by slightly softer transition periods. Markus Lindblad, Head […]

When the World Health Organization’s eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP11) on the tobacco convention concluded, it became clear that several issues, including nicotine pouches, were postponed for the future. There was no global ban, but neither was there a final position. These questions have now been deferred to the next COP in two years, […]

Despite weeks of intense negotiations in Brussels and a clear decision by the Member States not to include bans on new nicotine products in the EU’s mandate for COP11, the Danish Presidency and the European Commission are now pushing for sweeping restrictions at the WHO tobacco convention in Geneva. What is the Swedish delegation doing […]

A leak from the EU Commission to Pouch Patrol shows that the Commission is working on a comprehensive regulatory framework that will form the EU’s official position at the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) during COP11 in Switzerland this November. The proposals go further than what the FCTC Secretariat itself recommends – and […]

France’s decision to ban nicotine pouches has triggered a diplomatic offensive from Sweden. The government warns that national bans threaten both public health and the free movement of goods within the EU. Background: France’s Hard Line France has decided to introduce a total ban on nicotine pouches – not only sales, but also possession and […]

In Denmark, several major health organisations want to ban all sales of tobacco and nicotine by 2035. But Health Minister Sophie Løhde says no – a total ban breaches EU rules. Still, the debate rages on, with proposals for higher prices, fewer retailers, and raising the purchase age to 25. But do bans really work? […]

The Swedish government’s 2026 budget proposal introduces a series of tobacco policy changes aimed at improving public health by focusing on harm reduction rather than simply reducing overall nicotine use as for example France is planning. The plan draws a clear distinction between combustible tobacco products like cigarettes and smoke-free alternatives such as snus and […]

France has now submitted its written comments in response to other member states’ objections against prohibiting the sale of nicotine pouches by anyone outside the pharmaceutical industry. However, the French response is riddled with contradictions and disregards both scientific evidence and the positive experiences of other member states. Global consumer data are undeniable: most users […]