Are Nicotine Pouches Legal In Sweden?

Nathan Chilcott

The Law

Sweden is the birthplace of snus. In fact, it is the only country in the European Union to be given an exception to the EU snus ban. That happened when it joined the EU in 1995.

For Sweden, snus is part of their goal to become smoke-free by 2025. It’s a plan that appears to be working. A recent study shows that Sweden has the lowest rate of smokers in all of Europe.

“It’s important to note that smoke-free is not the same as tobacco-free. Snus helps with smoke-free, nicotine pouches are driving toward tobacco-free.”

Current Swedish Nicotine Pouch Regulations

Snus is seen as part of Swedish culture. Unsurprisingly, nicotine pouches, legal in Sweden, are seen in a similar light. That said, they are not treated in exactly the same way.

The snus regulations did help Sweden develop its nicotine pouch regulations.

Naturally, this includes an age restriction. Only adults over the age of 18 are allowed to purchase nicotine pouches in Sweden.

As with all nicotine products sold in Sweden, nicotine pouches need to display a health warning referring to nicotine’s addictive nature.

Sweden also has guidelines regarding advertising. These aren’t strictly regulations. However, as the nicotine pouch industry has made sure their advertisements and packaging are not designed to target minors, there has been no need for specific regulations.

In many ways, Sweden has shown the rest of the world how to self-regulate nicotine pouches without the need for restrictive laws.

It’s best to define these as responsible rules. They became law in 2022 when the Swedish government created the Act on Tobacco-Free Nicotine Products.

In addition to the above, the law obliged manufacturers to inform the Public Health Agency of Sweden about any new product before it was released on the market.

In short, they managed to keep consumers and manufacturers happy, creating a viable alternative to smoking.

It means you can order your favourite pouch brand and flavours online at any time. You’ll be certain of great prices and fast delivery.

How This Differs From The Rest Of The EU

The European Union has not created a regulatory framework for nicotine pouches. That means every country is free to create its own rules.

It means some countries have banned nicotine pouches, despite the fact that they pose fewer health risks than cigarettes.

Others have classified them as food, banned certain nicotine pouch flavours, or simply ignored them for the moment. This has led to many grey areas where consumers are unsure where they stand.

It’s part of the reason we’ve created these guides to nicotine pouch regulations.

The logical approach across Europe should be to follow the Swedish nicotine pouch approach. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened.

Summing Up

Sweden is likely to reach its 2025 smoke-free target. It’s done this by using a pragmatic approach to new products like nicotine pouches.

By appreciating the benefits and encouraging people to switch from smoking, they aren’t just creating clear guidelines for consumers and suppliers.

They are showing everyone that you don’t need extensive legislation to eliminate smoking. You just need a little common sense.

*Disclaimer

We make every effort to ensure the information published on our website is accurate and up-to-date. Our blog is provided for information only. It is not intended as medical advice.