Minister of Economic Affairs Erkki Keldo did not approve the draft bill that seeks to restrict the sale of nicotine products to young people. Keldo said that the new rules may affect companies selling and importing nicotine products.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Justice want to ban the sale of nicotine pouches, nicotine strips, and nicotine sprays if they contain more than 4 mg of nicotine per gram. The goal is to reduce nicotine consumption among young people.
Keldo sent a letter stating that he does not approve the draft bill. He said he supports protecting the health of young people, but the new rules must be fair to businesses.
Keldo believes the draft bill has not sufficiently studied how the changes will affect businesses. He said that Latvian rules may not be suitable for Estonia.
The minister wants a study to analyze how the changes will affect young people's health, businesses, and consumer behavior. He also wants to know if people will start buying illegal products.
Currently, only 20% of nicotine products meet the new requirements. About 60% of products need to be modified, and 20% will have to be removed from the market.
Several European countries have tightened regulations on nicotine products. In Latvia, buyers must be at least 20 years old to purchase nicotine. In Estonia, such a rule is not yet under discussion.
The new rules are expected to take effect in 2028, but the exact timing will be clarified later.