Denmark tightens tobacco and nicotine regulations

In November 2023, the Danish government, composed of the Social Democrats, the Liberal Alliance and the Moderates, reached an agreement with the Green Left Alliance, the conservative People's Party and the Alternative, on a plan to reduce tobacco and nicotine consumption. The arsenal of measures, consisting of thirty provisions, has just been adopted by the Danish Parliament.

A delay in tobacco tax policies

The Danish government has implemented a tax increase on new nicotine and smokeless tobacco products, leading to a stagnation in consumption, after a continuous increase in consumption for several consecutive years. However, the country's tax policies on traditional tobacco products are considered insufficient by public health stakeholders. Indeed, while Denmark has the second highest income per capita in the European Union, the price of a packet of cigarettes is only eight euros, compared to 12 euros in France, 14 in Norway and more than 15 in Ireland.

Strengthening controls and sanctions to protect minors

Denmark, which has banned the sale of e-cigarette flavours, with the exception of menthol and tobacco flavours, has decided to strengthen its regulations, requiring online platforms to systematically verify age, with a view to reducing the accessibility of these products to minors. The Danish Authority can also use fictitious profiles to search for sellers or advertisements selling illegal products on social networks, and force platforms to close profiles or remove illegal content. In addition, the Danish Security Technology Authority can now use mystery shopping investigations in businesses suspected of selling tobacco and nicotine products to minors. In parallel with the strengthening of controls, the Danish public authorities plan to increase penalties for traders selling tobacco and nicotine products to minors. Thus, retailers in violation are now liable to a minimum fine of 6,700 euros, and to a temporary suspension of their license allowing them to sell tobacco or nicotine products. In France, the penalties provided for tobacconists selling tobacco to minors are considerably lower (between 135 and 750 euros), which may partly explain the persistence of tobacco accessibility among this population.

Lobbying absent from Danish measures

While these various measures are considered satisfactory by Danish public health experts, they nevertheless warn that no provision is made for the manufacturers themselves. In particular, while Denmark, by having ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, is committed to ensuring the independence of public authorities from the influence of the tobacco industry, Charlotta Pisinger, professor of tobacco and nicotine prevention at the University of Syddansk, points out that tobacco manufacturers are regularly invited to Parliament to present new nicotine products. These interactions, considered as not falling within the scope of what is "strictly necessary", are not carried out in complete transparency, as provided for in the implementing guidelines for Article 5.3 of the FCTC.

FT

National Committee Against Smoking |