The sale of nicotine pouches to young people under the age of 18 should be banned. The Ministry of Health is sending a corresponding draft of the Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction Act (TNSG) for review. A smoking ban in children’s playgrounds is also planned.
This ban is already in place in many cities and municipalities. The draft is a new version of the previous law on the protection of tobacco and non-smokers and also contains EU regulations, the failure to implement which could lead to infringement proceedings – it has been in place since October 2022 at coalition partner ÖVP, it said in a broadcast on Wednesday.
Very popular with young people
Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) said it is irresponsible that these demonstrably addictive products are still sold in an uncontrolled manner, referring to the nicotine pouches that are still freely available to everyone. These are small white packets that are placed under the upper lip and deliver nicotine directly through the mucous membranes. And these are very popular among young people.
Cigarettes and nicotine pouches will be equated in the future
In the future, the same rules will apply to bags as to cigarettes. This means that they can only be sold in tobacconists or tobacconists and there must be mandatory warnings. New such products require notification to the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). There is also a maximum permitted nicotine content and the amendment also provides for advertising restrictions for such new nicotine products.
According to a study by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, 13 percent of 15-year-olds used nicotine pouches in 2022, and for boys of this age the share was almost 20 percent. As early as 2024, several federal states regulated the sale of nicotine pouches in their youth protection laws – a national regulation was unanimously requested by the states’ health councils, the ministry said.
Smoking ban on children’s playgrounds
The bill also includes a smoking ban on children’s playgrounds. In 2018, a smoking ban for schools and kindergartens, including outdoors, came into effect, the ministry reminded. “Tobacco poisoning is one of the most common poisonings in children. Unfortunately, it often happens that small children put cigarettes lying on the floor in their mouths,” Rauch argues.
The new Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction Act also contains some legal clarifications on reporting obligations for tobacco products, importation, seizure and the fees that manufacturers must pay. Rauch said he was confident there would be a majority in favor of the draft in parliament.
Source: Krone
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