Austrian Tobacco Companies Propose A Nicotine Law To Cope With The Impact Of New Tobacco

Austrian tobacco companies propose a "nicotine law" to cope with the impact of new tobacco

The number of smokers in Austria is declining, but the use of new tobacco products is increasing. The Tobacco Merchants Association is demanding a reform of the tobacco law to include these products in tobacco shop monopolies to protect minors and the livelihoods of tobacco shop owners.

According to ORF on December 26, although the number of smokers in Austria is declining, more and more people are starting to use new tobacco products such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes. Otmar Schwarzenbohler, chairman of the Lower Austrian Tobacco Merchants Association, said that young people have switched from cigarettes to new tobacco products, so these products should also be sold in tobacco shops.

Currently, 1,000 of the more than 4,500 tobacco shops in Austria are located in Lower Austria. These shops have a monopoly on the sale of tobacco products, accounting for 70% of their business. However, new tobacco products are not included in this monopoly. The chairman criticized this, "These products are currently sold in vending machines together with candy, soda, etc."

Schwarzenbohler requires that all nicotine products can only be sold in tobacco shops in the future. He pointed out that the existing tobacco law is 240 years old and needs to be transformed into a nicotine law that is in line with the times. In Austria, tobacco products can only be sold to people over the age of 18, and the states can make more regulations through youth protection laws. Tobacco shops set their own age limit of 18, but the age limit is often ignored in vending machines and some stores.

In addition, he pointed out that without the introduction of new laws, many tobacco shops will face bankruptcy. Among the 1,000 tobacco shops in Lower Austria, only 20 may survive in the future. He believes that existing social projects will also be affected because vacant shops can only be allocated to people with a disability level of more than 50%. Currently, there are 1,218 disabled people running tobacco shops in Austria.

Tobacco traders asked the future Austrian government to include nicotine laws in its policy plan to protect the livelihoods of many tobacco shop owners.