Sale of Nicotine Pouches from 18 Years and Smoking Ban at Playground Planned

It is irresponsible that these proven addictive products are still being distributed uncontrolled, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) was quoted as saying. The draft is a new version of the previous Tobacco and Non-Smoking Protection Act, which also includes EU regulations, non-compliance with which could lead to infringement proceedings - it has been with the coalition partner ÖVP since October 2022, it was announced on Wednesday in a press release.

Rules for Cigarettes to Apply to Nicotine Pouches in the Future

Nicotine pouches are small white packets that are slipped under the upper lip and deliver nicotine directly through the mucous membranes, and these are very popular among young people. In the future, the same rules that apply to cigarettes should apply to these. This means that they can only be sold in tobacconists or tobacco shops and must have mandatory warnings. New such products require notification to the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). A maximum permitted nicotine content is also planned, as the legislative amendment also provides for advertising restrictions for such new nicotine products.

According to a survey by Health Austria GmbH, in 2022, 13 percent of 15-year-olds consumed nicotine pouches, with the proportion among boys of this age even reaching almost 20 percent. As early as 2024, several federal states regulated the sale of nicotine pouches in their youth protection laws - a nationwide regulation was unanimously demanded by the health councils of the states, the ministry said.

Smoking Ban in Children's Playgrounds

The draft law also proposes a smoking ban in children's playgrounds - a smoking ban in front of schools and kindergartens, even outdoors, was already introduced in 2018, the ministry reminded. "Tobacco poisonings are among the most common poisonings in childhood. Unfortunately, it happens again and again that toddlers put cigarettes lying on the ground in their mouths," argued Rauch.

The new Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction Act also contains some legal clarifications on reporting obligations for tobacco products, on import, seizure, and the fees that manufacturers have to pay. He is confident that a majority will be found in parliament for the draft, concluded the Minister of Health.

(APA/Red.)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.