Finland needs a bolder tobacco law as nicotine addiction evolves

Finland, once a trailblazer in tobacco control, is grappling with a resurgence of nicotine addiction fueled by a growing variety of appealing and easy-to-use products. The recent liberalization of nicotine pouch sales has led to a significant increase in their use, especially among young people, undermining the Tobacco Act's goal of ending the use of harmful and addictive products.

While a current amendment to the Tobacco Act will bring much-needed improvements for preventing smoke exposure in residential communities, broader strategies are essential to support the law's long-term objectives. International examples offer a roadmap: Britain has enacted a historic law banning tobacco sales for anyone born after 2009, aiming for a smoke-free generation. Other countries are progressively reducing sales points or prohibiting sales of particularly youth-attractive products like nicotine pouches and disposable e-cigarettes.

In Finland, a proposal to ban tobacco sales to younger generations has surfaced. To effectively support the Tobacco Act's aims and age limit enforcement, this principle should extend to all nicotine products. A widely supported first step for the current government would be to raise the age limit for nicotine products to 20. This is a concrete, easily implementable, and forward-looking decision that could re-establish Finland as a leader in public health policy.