Finland has strict laws on e-cigarettes and a ban on snus, despite around 900,000 citizens smoking combustible cigarettes, Filter reported, noting that the country does have a thriving nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) market.

Finland has banned e-cigarettes in all smoke-free places, banned flavors other than tobacco, imposed a blanket advertising ban and made online and cross-border sales illegal.

Snus is also banned - Sweden is the only EU member state with an exemption from the snus ban. Despite this, an estimated 38,000 people in the country still use nicotine e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are considered less harmful than smoking combustible cigarettes, but Finland is focusing on NRTs such as chewing gum and patches rather than tobacco harm reduction products such as e-cigarettes. NRT products are easily purchased nationwide without a prescription.

“NRT is definitely the most popular smoking cessation tool,” Jari Ollikka, chairman and co-founder of Vapers Finland ry, said in an interview with Filter. "There was a time when it was only sold in drugstores, but since 2006, NRT has been sold in general stores."

“There was a goal of a smoke-free Finland by 2040. But then the goal changed: now the goal is 2030. At the same time, Finland went from wanting to be a smoke-free country to being a smoke-free and nicotine-free country.”

"There are already pharmaceutical companies involved in the Finnish smoke-free campaign, and they don't like e-cigarettes. It's these who benefit from pushing NRT. Also, pharmacies want to get their share back from NRT sales, because they are lobbying to end general sales of NRT, And only allow the sale of NRT in pharmacies," he said.

Ollikka said the government now acknowledges that vaping is less harmful than smoking, but has not pushed people to use vaping as a way to quit smoking. Finland is caught in this "quit or die" dilemma when it comes to smoking. There is no belief in harm reduction. The option Finland wants to give people who want to quit smoking is NRT, and e-cigarettes are seen as just one part of Big Tobacco. E-cigarettes are not considered a smoking cessation aid.

Finland will hold parliamentary elections in April. Some political parties are pushing to legalize snus, Ollikka said.

"I think this is a great opportunity to influence politicians to also lift restrictions on vaping," he said.

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