E-Cigarette Regulation Bill Passed in Icelandic Legislative Session Last Week
According to Ecigintelligence, Iceland passed a new law during last week’s legislative session, introducing dedicated regulation and taxation for e-cigarettes for the first time. Under the law, nicotine and nicotine-free e-liquids and e-cigarettes can be
According to Ecigintelligence, Iceland passed a new law during last week's legislative session that specifically regulates and taxes e-cigarettes for the first time.
According to this law, both nicotine and non-nicotine e-liquids and e-cigarettes can be legally sold in Iceland, but advertising is prohibited. It is reported that Iceland will impose a tax of at least 0.9% of sales on e-cigarettes, which will be donated to a public health fund for monitoring and researching the health effects of e-cigarettes.
Notification System
Iceland has adopted a notification system similar to that implemented by the EU, requiring manufacturers and importers of nicotine products to notify Icelandic consumer authorities six months before they are marketed. Companies must also monitor and report sales of e-cigarettes and e-liquids.
This law will take effect on March 1, 2019, and manufacturers and importers of nicotine e-cigarette products can begin notifying Icelandic consumer authorities from September 1, 2018, to legally enter the market. Non-nicotine e-cigarette products can continue to be sold in Iceland without following this notification procedure.
Health Warnings
E-cigarettes sold in Iceland must comply with legal sales conditions. The outer packaging of e-cigarettes must carry health warnings about using the product and cannot use images or text that appeal to children. Products must be child-resistant, leak-proof, and refillable. E-cigarette products cannot contain "healthy" additives, such as vitamins, nor can they include caffeine or other additives related to energy or vitality.
It is noted that this law initially directly copied the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) but was later revised. The current nicotine limit is 20 mg/ml, but the volume and tank size limits for e-cigarettes and e-liquids were not included in the final text of the law, and implementation regulations for limits and monitoring methods will be issued later.
Fees for Manufacturers
The law states that the Icelandic government may charge manufacturers or importers specified product testing fees and fees for processing notified products. Additionally, all e-cigarettes are prohibited from advertising, and they cannot be displayed on shelves, except in specialty e-cigarette stores.
It is also noted that the ban includes prohibiting sales to children under 18 and prohibiting sales in places where children gather or where health services are provided. The public use ban is largely similar to that of traditional cigarettes.
This law will take effect on March 1, 2019 - delayed from the initial enforcement date of December 1, 2018. Penalties for serious or repeated violations of this law include fines or even imprisonment for up to two years.
The Icelandic parliament estimates that this bill will only cost €71,000 to fulfill the regulatory obligations.
The promotional task for this law is evidently very heavy—members of the Icelandic parliament reported receiving a large number of emails protesting the e-cigarette legislation, and many members had to set up filters on their inboxes to manage these emails.
It is understood that Iceland followed the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) when drafting the e-cigarette regulatory law, but its regulatory intensity is milder than that of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) jurisdictions.
According to this law, both nicotine and non-nicotine e-liquids and e-cigarettes can be legally sold in Iceland, but advertising is prohibited. It is reported that Iceland will impose a tax of at least 0.9% of sales on e-cigarettes, which will be donated to a public health fund for monitoring and researching the health effects of e-cigarettes.
Notification System
Iceland has adopted a notification system similar to that implemented by the EU, requiring manufacturers and importers of nicotine products to notify Icelandic consumer authorities six months before they are marketed. Companies must also monitor and report sales of e-cigarettes and e-liquids.
This law will take effect on March 1, 2019, and manufacturers and importers of nicotine e-cigarette products can begin notifying Icelandic consumer authorities from September 1, 2018, to legally enter the market. Non-nicotine e-cigarette products can continue to be sold in Iceland without following this notification procedure.
Health WarningsE-cigarettes sold in Iceland must comply with legal sales conditions. The outer packaging of e-cigarettes must carry health warnings about using the product and cannot use images or text that appeal to children. Products must be child-resistant, leak-proof, and refillable. E-cigarette products cannot contain "healthy" additives, such as vitamins, nor can they include caffeine or other additives related to energy or vitality.
It is noted that this law initially directly copied the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) but was later revised. The current nicotine limit is 20 mg/ml, but the volume and tank size limits for e-cigarettes and e-liquids were not included in the final text of the law, and implementation regulations for limits and monitoring methods will be issued later.
Fees for ManufacturersThe law states that the Icelandic government may charge manufacturers or importers specified product testing fees and fees for processing notified products. Additionally, all e-cigarettes are prohibited from advertising, and they cannot be displayed on shelves, except in specialty e-cigarette stores.
It is also noted that the ban includes prohibiting sales to children under 18 and prohibiting sales in places where children gather or where health services are provided. The public use ban is largely similar to that of traditional cigarettes.
This law will take effect on March 1, 2019 - delayed from the initial enforcement date of December 1, 2018. Penalties for serious or repeated violations of this law include fines or even imprisonment for up to two years.
The Icelandic parliament estimates that this bill will only cost €71,000 to fulfill the regulatory obligations.
The promotional task for this law is evidently very heavy—members of the Icelandic parliament reported receiving a large number of emails protesting the e-cigarette legislation, and many members had to set up filters on their inboxes to manage these emails.
It is understood that Iceland followed the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) when drafting the e-cigarette regulatory law, but its regulatory intensity is milder than that of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) jurisdictions.
