Luxembourg strengthens regulation of nicotine sachets

Following their ban in the Netherlands and Belgium, the future of nicotine pouches could be seriously compromised in Luxembourg, which is studying the possibility of significantly limiting the nicotine content of these products, in the interests of public health and the protection of younger generations.

These products follow the principle of snus, banned throughout the European Union with the exception of Sweden, but without tobacco. They appear as small white sachets, containing nicotine, which the consumer places between their lip and gum, leaving the product to act for 20 minutes to an hour. Like disposable electronic cigarettes (puffs), these sachets are available in different flavors (mint, chocolate, melon, Cola, blueberry, etc.).

Alignment with tobacco products

The Luxembourg Minister of Health, Martine Deprez, presented, on Wednesday May 22, the government amendments relating to the regulation of nicotine sachets to the deputies of the Health Committee. These amendments provide for aligning the regulation of nicotine sachets with that currently applied to tobacco. Thus, the sale of nicotine sachets should be prohibited to minors under 18 years of age, as well as the advertising or free distribution of these products with their high addictive potential. The government has also indicated that it wishes to put in place a dissuasive tax policy intended to prevent the entry of young people into consumption, by introducing excise duties set at 22 euros per kilogram, and by applying a VAT of 17%.

The nicotine content of nicotine sachets in the viewfinder of the Minister of Health

The government has also indicated that it wants to tackle the addictive power of the sachets by severely limiting the nicotine content of these products. Thus, as in Germany, the new regulations would authorize a maximum content of 0.048 milligrams par sachet. As reported by the media RTL Infos, the commercial director of Heintz van Landewyck, a chain of tobacco products stores, such regulation could be fatal to the commercial development of nicotine sachets: "While a cigarette contains around 1 milligram of nicotine, if we reduce this quantity to 0.048 on nicotine sachets, we can clearly speak of a prohibition. The product will then be officially “dead in Luxembourg”. However, an outright ban on the product was ruled out by the Luxembourg Minister of Health, considering that these products remain easily accessible on the other side of the border. The Luxembourg producer considered that excessive regulation of nicotine sachets could encourage the emergence of a parallel market, and that it would simply be preferable to reserve the right of sale to tobacco and tobacco businesses. newspapers.

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