A new law on tobacco and nicotine products in Luxembourg has been criticized for its weaknesses.

On October 23, 2025, the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies adopted Bill No. 8333 on tobacco control.[1]Following an alert issued by the Luxembourg National Conference of Higher Education (CNEL), which reported that 21 high school students had already used nicotine sachets, this legislation updates the anti-smoking law for the first time since 2017 by transposing European Directive (EU) 2022/2100 and extending restrictions to new products such as heated tobacco and nicotine sachets. It aims to adapt public health policy to market developments and European regulations. The measure was adopted by 49 members of parliament in favor, 5 against, and 6 abstentions.

New regulations governing products, including new nicotine products

The law introduces several measures concerning nicotine sachets, heated tobacco, electronic cigarettes, e-liquids and traditional cigarettes:

Firstly, emerging nicotine products will be regulated, including nicotine sachets, sometimes presented as "snus" by the Luxembourg press although the latter is a tobacco product distinct from sachets.

Nicotine sachets are now subject to the same regulations as tobacco: a ban on advertising, online sales, and sales to minors; awareness campaigns; strict limits on nicotine content (0.048 mg per sachet or gram); precise listing and quantification of all ingredients; and a ban on additives such as caffeine, taurine, and CBD. Their use will be restricted in certain public places, and specifically prohibited in areas frequented by minors, such as playgrounds.

For Carole Hartmann, a member of parliament from the Democratic Party (DP), " For us, awareness and prevention are of utmost importance, particularly to prevent the consumption of [nicotine sachets] is seen as harmless. Above all, young people underestimate the health risks. ".

Secondly, there is a ban on flavorings (fruit, candy, mint, etc.) for heated tobacco products, and a requirement to include health warnings on their packaging – they were previously exempt. In addition, labeling rules are strengthened: clear indication that it is a tobacco product or another nicotine product, mandatory health warnings, and the absence of misleading or promotional visuals. Regarding packaging presentation, attractive colors or visuals are prohibited, and in terms of marketing, greater control of sales channels is planned, along with a ban on advertising and certain presentation methods. Overall, the regulations affecting these new nicotine products, including e-liquids for nicotine-free electronic cigarettes, are aligned with those for traditional tobacco products.

Thirdly, an obligation for vending machines to display health messages and to exclude any promotional visuals;

Finally, the sale of cigarette packs (excluding mini heated tobacco cigarettes) is only done in multiples of five, in order to limit individual sales and make them less financially accessible to young people.

The Council of State had expressed several reservations in its initial opinion (regarding the transposition of the European directive, definitions, the proportionality of the measures, etc.). Once these points were addressed through parliamentary amendments, the Council of State lifted its remaining reservations in July 2025, and the law was adopted. It will enter into force on the first day of the month following its publication in the Official Journal, with the exception of the rules concerning ATMs, which will benefit from a three-month implementation period.

Health Minister Martine Deprez stated that the government would prioritize the protection of minors, strengthen prevention measures, and continue to monitor developments at the European level.[2]However, many public health actors and political leaders would like to go further and ban nicotine sachets.

Faced with mixed reactions, some parties are stressing the need to ban nicotine sachets.

Some voices have warned of the risk, in their view, of reduced smoking "cessation" options and an increase in the black market and cross-border purchases, arguments often put forward by the tobacco and nicotine lobby to curb ambitious public health policies.

Public health organizations, such as the Cancer Foundation, the College of Physicians, and Okaju, welcomed the transposition of the European directive and the measures taken to protect young people wrongly perceived as harmless, pointing out the additional risk of a "gateway" effect between nicotine pouches and tobacco initiation. However, the Cancer Foundation goes further and calls for a total ban on nicotine pouches.[3] and also regretted the lack of a ban on disposable electronic cigarettes or "puffs," as already decided by Belgium, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. On this point, it will be addressed in another bill launched by the Ministry of the Environment, since it concerns waste. " explains Françoise Kemp, rapporteur of the bill in the Chamber.

For the Pirate Party as well, the text does not go far enough: This is a great law for minors, but a very bad one for adults. They're hiding behind an arbitrary rate based on German food safety regulations. But a sachet of nicotine isn't a yogurt. They should have had the courage to enact a blanket ban. " argues Sven Clement, who believes that the lack of harmonization at the European level makes the Luxembourg measure far less effective.[4].

Likewise, the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) and The Greens (déi gréng) they are calling for a total ban on nicotine sachets, similar to what France has decided or Belgium. For Mars Di Bartolomeo, former Minister of Health, " The government and the ADR have finally bowed to the tobacco lobby. The majority is being inconsistent. On the one hand, it argues for the protection of health, on the other, it refuses to ban a highly harmful and addictive product. ".

" This is a law of missed opportunities. », thinks MP Djuna Bernard. “ We must commit not only to a tobacco-free generation, but also to a nicotine-free generation. With this law, commercial and financial interests are taking precedence over the best interests of young people. […] We fight against tobacco, but harmful products remain on the market. ".

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1]Thierry Labro, Luxembourg regulates nicotine sachetsPaperjam, published on October 31, 2025, accessed the same day

[2]RTL Info, A new law for nicotine sachets in LuxembourgPublished on October 31, 2025, accessed the same day

[3]Morgan Kervestin, Anti-smoking law: "We have gone further than other countries", Le Quotidien, published on October 30, 2025, accessed on October 31, 2025

[4]David Marques, Nicotine sachets: the end of the "Wild West" is official., Le Quotidien, published on October 31, 2025, accessed the same day

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