Austrian State Passes Ban on Nicotine Pouches for Minors

Regulations by 2FIRSTS.ai
Jul.03.2024
Austrian State Passes Ban on Nicotine Pouches for Minors
Styria Province in Austria passes law banning nicotine pouches for under 18s, effective Oct. 1, to combat youth addiction.

According to Krone's report on July 3rd, following the states of Upper Austria, Salzburg, and Tyrol, the parliament of Styria also passed a ban on the use of nicotine pouches by children under 18 on Tuesday (2nd), as part of an amendment to the Youth Protection Act.

 

This ban will take effect on October 1st.

 

Simone Schmiedtbauer, a state representative of the Austrian People's Party, referred to the amendment as "an important innovation in youth law.

 

Nicotine pouches are highly harmful and can quickly become addictive products that are becoming increasingly popular among young people. As early as 2022, 13% of young people reported using nicotine pouches or similar products in the past month.

 

The state's addiction prevention center, Vivid, said Waltraud Posch,

 

We welcome this step as nicotine pouches are highly addictive, unlike all other nicotine products, they are unregulated. However, relying solely on youth protection is not enough, we need national product regulations, sponsorship bans, and increased taxes.

 

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2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

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