Protecting young people

Automatically saved draft

Nicotine pouches or snus should only be available from the age of 18 in future.

(Bild: giovanni/stock.adobe.com)

The sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s is to be banned. The Ministry of Health is sending a corresponding draft of the Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction Act (TNSG) for review. There are also plans to ban smoking in children's playgrounds.

This ban is already in force in many towns and municipalities. The draft is a new version of the previous Tobacco and Non-Smoker Protection Act and also includes EU regulations, which could lead to infringement proceedings if they are not implemented - it has been with the coalition partner ÖVP since October 2022, according to a press release on Wednesday.

Highly popular with young people
It is irresponsible that these demonstrably addictive products are still being distributed uncontrolled, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) was quoted as saying with regard to the nicotine pouches that are still freely available to everyone. These are small white packets that are placed under the upper lip and release nicotine directly through the mucous membranes. And they are very popular with young people.

Cigarettes and nicotine pouches to be equated in future
In future, the same rules will apply to pouches as to cigarettes. This means that they may only be sold in tobacconists or tobacco stores and must carry mandatory warning labels. New products of this kind must be notified to the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). A maximum permitted nicotine content is also provided for, as is an advertising restriction for such new nicotine products.

According to a survey by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, 13% of 15-year-olds consumed nicotine pouches in 2022, while the proportion of boys of this age was almost 20%. As early as 2024, several federal states regulated the sale of nicotine pouches in their youth protection laws - a nationwide regulation was unanimously demanded by the health councils of the federal states, according to the ministry.

Tobacco poisoning is one of the most common forms of poisoning in children. Unfortunately, it happens again and again that small children put cigarettes lying on the ground in their mouths.

Gesundheitsminister Johannes Rauch (Grüne)

Smoking ban in children's playgrounds
The draft law also includes a ban on smoking in children's playgrounds - a ban on smoking outside schools and kindergartens also came into force in 2018, the ministry pointed out. "Tobacco poisoning is one of the most common forms of childhood poisoning. Unfortunately, it happens again and again that small children put cigarettes lying on the ground in their mouths," argued Rauch.

The draft law also provides for a ban on smoking in playgrounds.

(Bild: Valmedia - stock.adobe.com (Symbolbild))

The new Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction Act also contains some legal clarifications on reporting obligations for tobacco products, import, confiscation and the fees that manufacturers have to pay. According to Rauch, he is confident that a majority will be found for the draft in parliament.