Similarly to section 1 of the current Act, the aim of the amended Tobacco Act would be to end the use of tobacco products and other nicotine-containing products that are toxic to humans and cause addiction. The aim of the proposal is to contribute to the achievement of this objective. The aim of the proposal is to ensure that the retail packaging of tobacco products and related products could no longer be used as a marketing tool and that no tobacco products could have their flavour improved by adding flavourings. In this way, the aim is to reduce the attractiveness of products and thereby support smoking cessation and, in particular, prevent people from starting to smoke. The aim is also to prepare for new types of tobacco products that may enter the Finnish market. The aim of the proposal is to improve the resources for product supervision and other controls under the Tobacco Act so that Valvira can more effectively ensure, inter alia, that products on the market comply with the Tobacco Act.

The Tobacco Act would be amended to state that the retail packaging of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and refill containers should not differ in their labelling or other appearance from the retail packaging of other similar products. The amended Tobacco Act would also lay down requirements relating to the appearance of cigarettes, refill containers and nicotine-containing liquids. The ban on characterising fragrances and flavours would be extended to all tobacco products, and products intended to produce a fragrance or flavour characteristic of a tobacco product would be banned. The amended Tobacco Act would include a definition of heated tobacco products and the display of smoking equipment intended for their use would be prohibited. The regulations on importing would be amended to apply more uniformly to the various products referred to in the Tobacco Act. Manufacturers and importers of products covered by the Tobacco Act would be required to pay an annual supervisory fee based on sales volumes to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Revenues from the supervisory fees would be used to improve product supervision in particular.