In 2013, an amendment to the Norwegian Tobacco Harms Act was passed. It set a long-term goal of a tobacco-free society. The latest policy continues to work towards this overall goal. The Norwegian tobacco policy focuses on all types of tobacco products and non-medical use of nicotine, such as snus and e-cigarettes.
The main objectives of Norwegian tobacco policy are as follows:
- The proportion who smoke or use snuff should be below 5 percent in all age and education groups.
- Children born in 2010 and later should not use tobacco products
- Anyone who wishes to do so will receive free help to quit smoking.
- The availability of tobacco products should be significantly reduced to protect children and young people.
- No one should be exposed to passive smoking.
- The tobacco industry should not be able to influence tobacco policy, which is in line with international obligations.
The background to the goals is that smoking causes 5,000 cases of premature death annually and will be a major public health problem for many years to come.
The proportion of smokers is particularly high in the older age groups. Few young people smoke daily, but it is quite common to smoke occasionally.
The use of brown snus has increased dramatically since the beginning of the 2000s, especially among young people. When the policy was presented in 2023, 37 percent of people aged 25 to 34 used snus. Snus also increases the risk of serious health damage, the policy states.
No white snus is sold in Norway. E-cigarettes with nicotine will be allowed to be sold in Norway from 2025, according to a decision from 2016. The tobacco policy states that it is uncertain how the use of new products such as e-cigarettes and white snus will develop in Norway. Experience from other countries shows that such products can quickly become popular among children. A Danish report from 2022 has shown that nicotine affects the brains of children and young people far more than has been previously known. In addition to creating addiction, it appears that nicotine increases the risk of becoming addicted to cigarettes and drugs in general, the Norwegian policy states.
