Are Nicotine Pouches Legal in Finland? (Yes, Mint or Menthol Only, No Online Orders)

By PouchGuide Editorial Team · Published October 12, 2026

Yes, nicotine pouches are legal in Finland, under tight rules. An amendment to Finland’s Tobacco Act took effect on August 1, 2025. It created a category for “smokeless nicotine products,” which includes pouches. Since then, retail sales need a licence, distance sales are banned (so no ordering online, even from other EU countries), and sales to under-18s are banned. Since February 1, 2026, only mint and menthol flavors are allowed, and cans need health warnings in Finnish and Swedish.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check official sources before you buy or travel.

What are Finland’s nicotine pouch rules?

Parliament passed the amendment on May 14, 2025, and the President confirmed it later that month. The rules came in stages:

• From August 1, 2025: pouches fall under the Tobacco Act. Retail sale needs a municipal licence, and wholesalers must notify the authorities. Distance selling is banned. Selling to anyone under 18 is banned, and under-18s can’t possess or import pouches either.
• From February 1, 2026: all flavors except menthol and mint are banned, and cans need health warnings in Finnish and Swedish.
• From August 1, 2026: standardized packaging applies.
• Nicotine cap: at most 16.6 mg of nicotine per gram of product, and each pouch must weigh between 0.5 and 1 gram.

Shops that applied for a licence by October 31, 2025 could keep selling while their application was processed, until July 31, 2026 at the latest.

Why did Finland’s first pouch law fail?

An earlier version that allowed more flavors (including tea, ginger and rosemary) passed parliament in 2024. It was scrapped after allegations that a pouch company had used a connection inside government, and the President declined to sign it. The government then proposed the narrower mint-and-menthol version that became law in 2025.

Can I order nicotine pouches online in Finland?

No. The distance-selling ban covers online shops in Finland, the EU and elsewhere. Buy pouches in person from a licensed shop, such as a supermarket, kiosk or gas station.

Can travelers bring nicotine pouches into Finland?

Yes, adults can bring pouches for personal use. The law also restricts traveler imports, especially of cans without Finnish and Swedish warnings. Keep to a modest personal amount and check Finnish Customs (Tulli) before you travel. Under-18s can’t bring pouches in at all. See our travel guide.

How Finland compares

Finland borders Sweden, where pouches are sold freely in every flavor, and Norway, where they can’t be sold. Its mint-and-menthol rule is close to Denmark’s (mint or tobacco), but its strength cap is less strict.

Bottom line

Nicotine pouches are legal in Finland for adults 18 and over, but only from licensed shops, not online, and since February 2026 only in mint or menthol. See our legal status tracker for other countries.