Swedish mass tourism in Spain could be affected by the Spanish government's crackdown on nicotine pouches. This is according to the Spanish newspaper Huffpost.
"Swedish politicians have good reason to react to the upcoming legislation. Travellers from Scandinavia account for over five million of holiday visitors to Spain - almost eleven percent of the total." writes the newspaper.
The politics of nicotine pouches continue to heat up in Europe. While France is totally banning the mainly Swedish-made product, Spain will force the nicotine content of the pouches down to vegetable levels (0.99 per cent per pouch). Sweden's Minister for Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa, has stated on several occasions that both the Spanish and French legislation constitute clear barriers to trade within the EU and that the Swedish government will meet with the responsible ministers in each country to try to influence developments. And in Spain, the snus bans are now raising questions about how the domestic policy will affect the large Swedish tourism in the country.
Millions of Scandinavians every year
Huffpost newspaper looks at the heavy regulation in relation to the ever-growing number of Scandinavians choosing Spain for their sun holidays. Scandinavian tourists have long been a significant part of the economy in several regions.
"Sweden plays an important role both demographically and in terms of tourism, where tourism is constantly growing. According to figures from Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE), Scandinavian travellers accounted for 5.17 million arrivals before the pandemic (almost 11% of the total), and the flow has intensified in recent years." notes Huffpost.
Forced to buy cigarettes
Today, snus-using Scandinavians who, for whatever reason, run out of the snus they bring with them, can easily find a substitute in the form of nicotine pouches in Spanish shops. But this is likely to change. With the new low nicotine levels, the pouches deliver only a fraction of the nicotine that Scandinavians are used to (around 10 mg per pouch). In the worst case scenario, the products will not be sold at all, due to the restrictive laws. Charlie WeimersMember of the European Parliament for the Sweden Democrats, travels a lot for work. And he says the lack of cans in local shops can be annoying enough.
"For us Swedes who use snus, regardless of whether it's white or brown, it can be tricky, of course. I had lost my tins recently and was going to buy a new one on the spot. But I was in for a shock. They had stopped selling white snuff. So I bought a packet of cigars as it was the only thing with nicotine that was available. Of course, it was super gross and not even close to as satisfying." he told Vejpkollen in in the context of an interview in the autumn.
"Do not want a discussion"
The arguments in favour of the role of snus in reducing smoking in Sweden have not gone down well in the southern parts of the continent. In Spain, where smoking rates stand at 26% of the adult population, the government believes that white snus will only lead to more minors becoming addicted to nicotine. At the same time, activists from different camps have protested against what they call a one-sided approach to nicotine use.
"But the government has not wanted to have any debate on this, at all. Not in Parliament or anywhere else. They don't listen to us consumers, and have no scientific basis for the regulation they are imposing" says Juan Rafael Taborcía, sniffing Spaniard and global spokesperson for Conciderate Pouchers, an activist-driven organisation that lobbies for harm reduction in the nicotine market, to Vejpkollen.
More and more Swedes in Spain
According to Huffpost, there is every reason for Swedish politicians to criticise Spanish tobacco policy. Although the use of nicotine pouches is relatively low in relation to smoking in the country, Swedes are a growing population group through immigration.
"The Swedish population in Spain is increasing: 21,527 registered residents, 1,516 more than the previous year, with the greatest presence in Málaga, Alicante, Barcelona and the Balearic Islands. Especially on the Costa del Sol (Marbella), the Costa Blanca and the Balearic Islands, the search for housing by northerners has grown stronger." writes the newspaper.
More bans on smokeless nicotine
The Spanish regulation of nicotine pouches will introduced at the same time as a strong flavour ban (mint and tobacco flavour only) for both e-liquid and pouches (e-cigarettes), as well as a ban on disposable vapes. According to the government, the regulation of the "new" nicotine products should somehow reduce the smoking of cigarettes in the country.
