want tighter restrictions on nicotine merchandise

To guard younger folks from the nicotine route, it was proposed to introduce uniform restrictions on flavoring components as a way to cut back the temptation to strive new nicotine merchandise, the press service of the Ministry of Social Affairs reported.

Estonian Well being Minister Riina Sikkut stated the joint attraction to the European Fee will assist implement the precept of the Public Well being Act, accredited by the federal government this week, that trade and commerce should additionally put folks’s well being on the forefront of their actions.

“With Latvia taking the lead, we wished to spotlight the obstacles that stop us from successfully implementing restrictions on flavorings in new nicotine merchandise and decreasing cross-border e-commerce in such merchandise,” Sikkut defined. “Greater than half of EU nations, together with Estonia , banned the distant sale of tobacco merchandise, however in follow the applying of this ban turned out to be tough. Since on-line buying and selling is allowed in some EU nations, provides proceed to these European nations the place it’s banned. It was not doable to make sure a ban in each EU state. Within the case of cross-border distance promoting, supervision is tough. Complete laws at EU stage will assist remedy these issues.”

A standard concern among the many 13 well being ministers who signed the joint letter is the recognition of e-cigarettes amongst younger folks. On the identical time, the tobacco and associated industries are positioning e-cigarettes as a safer and more healthy various to traditional cigarettes.

“As well as, the nicotine trade lures youngsters and youth with acquainted candy flavors. Latest research present that younger folks choose flavors comparable to sweet, confectionery and sugary drinks, in addition to fruit, berries and menthol. These flavors have a powerful affect on younger folks , decreasing the notion of hurt and growing the will to strive e-cigarettes,” Sikkut condemned the truth that enterprise pursuits are being prioritized on the expense of well being, and praised Latvia, which from subsequent 12 months will introduce restrictions on flavoring components, in addition to ban menthol taste in tobacco and nicotine merchandise.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Cyprus, Eire, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain have joined the attraction despatched to the European Fee Commissioner for Well being and Meals Security, Stella Kyriakides.

In response to the 2020 Estonian Grownup Well being Conduct Examine, 3.8% of adults recurrently used e-cigarettes, up from 10.4% in 2022. An alarming indicator is the growing pattern particularly amongst younger ladies: the variety of each day customers of digital cigarettes amongst them has elevated over a number of years to 11.5%. There has additionally been a rise within the variety of nicotine pad people who smoke within the youthful age group; in 2022, amongst males 16-24 years outdated, 20% recurrently consumed these merchandise.