Iceland Proposes Plain Tobacco Packaging and Tighter Nicotine Controls

Iceland could introduce plain packaging for all tobacco products and impose new restrictions on nicotine products under a draft bill published by the Minister of Health. The proposals would require standardised tobacco packaging similar to rules introduced in Norway in 2018, while also giving the minister new powers to limit flavoured nicotine products and tighten controls on online and home delivery sales. Original source: RÚV Draft legislation would require standardised packaging for all tobacco products.

The government proposes stricter rules on flavoured nicotine products and remote sales. The bill would also introduce limits on nicotine content and expand restrictions on where products may be used. Broader restrictions The draft legislation would make plain packaging mandatory for tobacco products, adopting an approach already used in Norway, where all tobacco packaging has been standardised in brown since 2018.

The bill also proposes setting a maximum nicotine content for nicotine products, although the draft reporting material does not specify the proposed limit. In addition, the Minister of Health would be authorised to restrict the sale of flavoured nicotine products, particularly those considered likely to appeal to children. The proposals would align rules governing traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

They would also ban cross-border distance sales of nicotine products and herbal smoking products, while limiting home delivery and domestic online sales. The draft legislation further strengthens penalty provisions and would introduce broader restrictions on where tobacco and nicotine products may be used. However, residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, along with hospital patients, would be granted some exemptions.

While Norway adopted plain tobacco packaging in 2018, research cited in the reporting material found the measure had little or no measurable effect. The post Iceland Proposes Plain Tobacco Packaging and Tighter Nicotine Controls appeared first on Iceland Review.