Finland: oral tobacco and nicotine pouch regulation, March 2025

The Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) reassessed nicotine pouches in April 2023 and decided they can no longer be classified as medicines unless they are explicitly marketed for medicinal use or are typically used as medicine. Instead, they are temporarily now subject to the Tobacco Act as a tobacco substitute and regulated within a limited number of areas, including age, sales, and advertising restrictions.

When the previous centre-left government considered introducing a complete ban on nicotine pouches after the reclassification, following the 2023 elections, the new (current) far-right government reversed existing plans for a ban, and instead opted for comprehensive regulation of nicotine pouches in Finland.

This report provides analysis of the current regulatory framework in place for oral tobacco and nicotine pouches in Finland, covering all policy areas from taxation and advertising to product restrictions and market access.