A ban on the sale of nicotine and the possibility of special rules for the sale of nitrous oxide. These are measures that are now being investigated in more detail, as commissioned by the government.
Updated article: March 2023
The Swedish Parliament wants to make it a criminal offence for private individuals to sell nicotine products, i.e. cigarettes, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes, to minors. The government has therefore set up an investigation to find out how this will work in practice. The same inquiry will also look at the possibility of regulating the sale of nitrous oxide.
Instead of banning flavours
It was in connection with the Riksdag's consideration of the government's proposal on the "tougher rules for new nicotine products" that the Social Affairs Committee proposed to ban the sale of cigarettes and other nicotine products. The proposal stood as an alternative to banning flavourings in e-cigarettes to reduce use among young people.
"Instead of pushing a poster policy, we wanted to make it a criminal offence to deal the products. This closes a gap in the law and is more effective in protecting minors", says Mr Perez. Johan Hultberg (m) member of the Social Affairs Committee, to Vejpkollen.
"A strong statement"
The Moderate Party's proposal against drug trafficking was accepted by all parliamentary parties. And according to Liberal Party member Barbro Westerholm it is an important step in reducing the risk of young people becoming addicted to nicotine.
"We were not ready for a flavour ban. But an 18-year limit and a strong message against trafficking is what we need right now to address the risks of these products," said Mr Perez. Barbro Westerholm i the debate on the flavour ban in June 2022.
Illegal to sell to minors
A ban on vending would be similar to the one in place for alcohol. Currently, it is illegal for shops to sell e-liquid and e-cigarettes with nicotine to minors. The law also applies to regulated products such as mods and tanks. Products that cannot be used with nicotine are not included in the ban.
When the Parliament rejected the the flavour ban for e-cigarettes it also introduced an age limit for nicotine pouches, 18 years, and rules on marketing restrictions.
Nitrous oxide - unregulated sales
The debate on nitrous oxide has become topical in recent years, especially as more and more people are buying and using nitrous oxide to get drunk. The sale of nitrous oxide is currently unregulated, fully legal and carried out by both established companies and private individuals.
Originally due to be completed on 31 October 2023, the investigation has been extended to 31 March 2024 and is led by Inga-Lill Askersjö, a member of the Supreme Court.
