Finland takes a hard line, banning all flavours except tobacco

Finland has gone further than the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) requires in banning all flavoured e-liquids except tobacco flavour.

As explained in the latest ECigIntelligence report on the country, the Finnish Tobacco Act  “prohibits nicotine liquids with a characterising flavour or aroma”.

The transposition of the TPD in May 2016 legalised the use of e-cigarettes in Finland, where they had previously been allowed only under medical licence.

The ban on flavours is justified as making vaping products less appealing to children, a point supported by a number of associations, such as the Finnish Cancer Society.

Finland introduced a few months ago an excise duty on e-cigarettes and e-liquids, with or without nicotine. The country has also placed many restrictions on e-cig advertising.

Public usage is quite restricted, with vaping is forbidden in public places in line with the ban on public smoking.

Other countries in Europe are taking a similar line to Finland on flavours. Hungary will ban all flavours from 2020 and Estonia is considering a similar ban.

Photo: Patsaanmetsästäjä 

ECigIntelligence

This article was written by one of ECigIntelligence’s international correspondents. We currently employ more than 40 reporters around the world to cover individual vaping markets. For a full list, please see our Who We Are page.