Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes)
Published:
Changes
- : Published the e-cigarette information in english for the first time.
A new regulatory framework, expected in 2024, will legalize nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Until the new regulations take effect, it will be possible to import e-cigarettes with nicotine for smoking cessation for personal medical use.
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Private import
Private import of e-cigarettes for personal medical use is allowed from the EU/EEA area. See the requirements for such import in the regulation on the manufacture and import of medicines § 3-2 (in Norwegian). The product must be legally acquired and for personal use only. The Customs Authority may request documentation that the requirements are met, for example in the form of a prescription or doctor's statement.
When importing, the quantity must not exceed a three-month supply. How large this quantity is will vary from person to person, and during the control of shipments, the customs will either adhere to the recommended dosage on the product or on the prescription/doctor's statement that the private individual importing the product presents as documentation.
For traveling with e-cigarettes, the permissible quantity depends on the country (within or outside the EEA) from which the product is imported. When brought in from the EU/EEA area, a maximum of one year's supply is allowed, while from third countries, a maximum of three months' supply is allowed. The rules for medical documentation also apply here.
Read more about the regulations and the different agencies' areas of responsibility regarding e-cigarettes on the Norwegian directorate of health website (in Norwegian).
New e-cigarette regulation
New regulations on the sale of e-cigarettes are likely to come into force in 2024, following the Norwegian Parliament's repeal of the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes with nicotine in 2016. This means that the sale of e-cigarettes containing nicotine will be legal in Norway.
The new regulations will impose requirements on the content, quality, safety, and labeling of all e-cigarettes and refill containers (e-liquids, e-juice), both with and without nicotine. The manufacturer or importer must register the products with NOMA (Norwegian Medical Products Agency) 6 months before they are to be sold to consumers in Norway. The registered products will be subject to the provisions of the Norwegian tobacco damage act (Tobakksskadeloven).
The requirements for e-cigarettes are under development. The new tobacco regulations (in Norwegian) are being processed by the Ministry of Health and Care Services. NOMA will publish more information on our website when the new regulations are adopted.
Until the new regulations come into force, it will still be prohibited to trade and import e-cigarettes containing nicotine in Norway, as these are considered new nicotine products.
Detailed information about the registration process and product requirements will be provided on our website as the new regulations approach enactment.
Flavour ban and standardized packaging
In 2023, the Norwegian Parliament adopted changes to the Tobacco Damage Act, including a flavour ban for e-cigarettes and requirements for standardized packaging. The law came into effect on 01.01.2024.
A transition period of 6 months has been set for parts of the law concerning standardized packaging and flavours ban. This means that e-cigarette products with flavours shall not be sold after 01.07.2024.
As of January 8, 2024, no date has been set for when e-cigarettes must have standardized packaging.
See more information and the new legal text at Stortinget.no (Norwegian Parliament's website, in Norwegian)