Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Slovenia

Slovenia: Ahead of tomorrow’s World No Tobacco Day (31st May), the Ministry of Health has published a statement on progress towards a “Slovenia free of tobacco and nicotine 2040” envisaged in the National Tobacco Strategy 2022-2030. The ministry warns against new tobacco and nicotine products, and cites plans, currently under discussion by ministers, to bring nicotine pouches under the tobacco law, to classify heated tobacco products as smoking products, and to transpose the EU-wide heated tobacco flavour ban into national law.

Slovenia: Excise duty on heated tobacco products rose yesterday to from €110 to €116 per kg of tobacco. That rate will apply until 1st November, when it will rise again to €122 per kg.

Slovenia: A 30-day public consultation ends today on a Ministry of Health bill to bring nicotine pouches under the Tobacco Law, making them subject to age, sales and advertising restrictions and notification requirements. The bill would also classify heated tobacco products as smoking products, making them subject to the health warning requirements set out in the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and transpose Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100, bringing the EU-wide heated tobacco flavour ban into national law.

Slovenia: The National Institute of Public Health has supported a Ministry of Health bill which seeks to include nicotine pouches within the category of “related products” in the legal framework for tobacco products and to transpose the European Commission directive setting out the EU-wide heated tobacco flavour ban. The institute also recommends further restrictions, such as limiting sales points, extending the flavour ban to nicotine pouches, and banning the sale of chewing tobacco and snuff.

Slovenia: The Ministry of Health has put forward a bill that would include nicotine pouches within the category of “related products” in the Tobacco Law, making them subject to age, sales and advertising restrictions and notification requirements. The bill also seeks to transpose Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100 setting out the EU-wide heated tobacco flavour ban. And it would classify heated tobacco products as smoking products, making them subject to the health warning requirements set out in the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).

Slovenia: The Ministry of Finance has told TobaccoIntelligence that approximately €11.36m was raised in tax revenue on heated tobacco in 2022, up from around €6.28m in 2021 and €4.38m in 2020. The ministry also said it had no current plan to introduce a tax on nicotine pouches.

Slovenia: The new excise duty now in force, until 30th April, for heated tobacco products is €110 per kg.

Slovenia: A regulation setting new excise duties on heated tobacco products has been published in the Official Gazette. The tax will be set at €110 per kg of tobacco from 1st January, €116 per kg from 1st May, and rise again to €122 per kg on 1st November 2023.