Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Slovenia

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.

Slovenia: The government has announced that the Health Inspectorate is planning to step up action against the use of tobacco products in public places. Since the Covid pandemic, the inspectorate has found that people were under a wrong impression that the public smoking ban did not apply to novel products. Tobacco use of all kinds in enclosed public spaces is punishable by a fine ranging from €4,000 to €33,000 for a business and €125 for an individual.

Slovenia: A regulation setting out new excise duties for heated tobacco was published today for consideration by ministers. It would increase the applicable rate to €110 per kg on 1st January, then to €116 from 1st May, and €122 from 1st November 2023.

Slovenia: Concerns over the widespread use of new tobacco and nicotine products by minors were raised yesterday during a public conference held by the National Institute of Public Health, press reports. The conference, which brought together academics and public officials, heard that novel products were as dangerous as traditional cigarettes.