Snus and snus-like nicotine products moving across Nordic borders: Can laws protect young people?

Abstract

Background: Use of snus and snus-like nicotine products is increasing, in particular among young people, in several Nordic countries and Estonia, while snus is legally on the market only in Sweden and Norway. Snus is available in a great variety of tastes and packaging particularly catering for young users. Recently, strong snus-resembling nicotine pouches have emerged on the market. This research investigates the regulatory means to counteract this development. Methods: European Union (EU) and national tobacco control legislation, case law of the European Court of Justice (CJEU) and relevant public health studies are analysed. Results: The research finds that the judgement of the CJEU relating to the sale of snus on Finnish ferries has not been enforced. Permitted large traveller imports for personal use have contributed to wide availability of snus in Finland. Even if the legislation in Sweden is in conformity with the exemption it obtained in the Accession Treaty, the public health impact of snus use for young people in its neighbouring countries has become considerable. Nicotine pouches, -which are not regarded as medical products in terms of medicine legislation, lack harmonised EU-wide regulation. Controlling smuggling across open borders is challenging. Conclusions: The legislation at the EU and national levels should be able to protect young people from new tobacco and nicotine products. It is urgent to harmonise regulation relating to new tobacco and nicotine products taking as a base a high level of protection of health as required in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

Towards Tobacco-Free Generation: implementation of preventive tobacco policies in the Nordic countries

“…For example, as Sweden has the exemption to snus sales and it does not regulate traveller exports of snus, it is common to import it to Norway, Finland and Denmark. The incentive to import snus arises both from the national sales ban (in Finland and Denmark) and from lower prices, both compared to cigarettes and local smokeless tobacco [29]. The sale of snus is allowed in Norway, but lower prices have made private imports from Sweden in particular – as well as tax free purchases [30] – common.…”

Differences in intention to use flavored oral nicotine products among young adult e-cigarette users and non-users

“…In this study of ONP use intention among young adults, intention to try novel nonmedicinal nicotine gums, lozenges, and gummies was higher in e-cigarette users than non-users, regardless of users’ motivation to quit vaping. These findings can inform decisions on nonmedicinal ONP marketing applications from various manufacturers submitted to the U.S. FDA ( Lucy Goods, 2021 , Reynolds American Inc, 2020 ) and regulatory agencies in other countries ( Salokannel and Ollila, 2021 ). The findings also aid in interpreting the FDA’s decision to authorize marketing of mint-flavored nicotine gum and lozenges as commercial tobacco products ( FDA, 2021 ).…”

“…1 ) ( Czaplicki et al, 2021 , Lucy Goods, 2022a ; Robichaud et al, 2020 ). In the U.S. ( U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2016 ) and several other countries ( Salokannel and Ollila, 2021 ), these commercial ONPs are marketed and regulated as nonmedicinal tobacco products unlike nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) ONPs, such as nicotine gums and lozenges used for tobacco use censsation, which are regulated as medicines. Several nonmedicinal ONP manufacturers have submitted tobacco product marketing applications for ONPs that are under regulatory review ( Lucy Goods, 2021 , Reynolds American Inc, 2020 ).…”

Single, Dual, and Triple Use of Cigarettes, e-Cigarettes, and Snus among Adolescents in the Nordic Countries

“…In these countries, snus is sold legally only in Sweden and Norway (to customers 18 years of age and over), but it is available for youth in Iceland, Denmark, and Finland through travel imports or illegal channels. In addition, the circumvention of legislation through the sale of nicotine pouches or chewing tobacco has brought new snus-like products to the markets or to the imports [ 27 ]. The prevalence of adolescents’ snus use varies between the Nordic countries and has increased during the last decade in Finland, Sweden, and Norway [ 20 , 28 , 29 ].…”