Tobacco Use and Trends
- In 2022, an estimated 923.8 thousand people (553.1 thousand males and 369.4 thousand females) aged 15 years and older were tobacco product users in Finland. This positions the country as the 87th globally and the 31st in the WHO European Region in terms of number of tobacco users.1,2
For comparison, According to the Attitudes of Europeans Towards Tobacco and Electronic Cigarettes survey in 2020,15% of respondents (16% female and 14% male) were currently smoking tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or pipe). Tobacco smoking was more prevalent in the 25-39 age group (20%) followed by the 40-54 age group with 18%, the youngest 15-24 age group with 13% and the oldest age group 55 years and over with 11%.
Among those tobacco smokers, 70% were daily cigarette and 8% were daily hand-rolled cigarettes smokers.
In 2021, 8% of youths (4% girls and 11% boys) aged 8th and 9th grade in Finland were current smokeless tobacco users. The daily use of smokeless tobacco was 4% among youths (2% girls and 6% boys).
Demand for cigarettes per capita reduced by 70% in Finland from 47 packs in 2002 to 14 packs in 2021. The demand for per capita fine-cut tobacco (e.g. roll your own RYO) was also reduced 31% from 9.1 packs of 20gr weight in 2022 to 6.3 packs of 20gr weight in 2021 (Figure 1).
Nicotine Alternatives
In 2020, 14% of respondents (14% female and14% male) have used or at least tried e-cigarettes.
The “at least tried out” category, the prevalent was the highest (28%) among the 25-39 age group, followed by the youngest 15-24 age group with 19%, the 40-54 age group with 11% and the oldest 55 years and over age group with 5%.
1% adults were current e-cigarette users.
In 2020, 9% of respondents (4% female and 16% male) aged 15 years and over have used or at least tried heated tobacco products (HTPs).
The “at least tried out” category, the prevalent was the highest in the youngest 15-24 age group with 25%, followed by 25-39 age group with 14%. Notably lower rate 7% was recorded for the 40-54 age group and 3% was identified in the oldest age group of 55 years and over.
1% adults were current HTP user.
In 2020, 72% of respondents either quit or attempted to quit without assistance.
Approximately 24% utilized Nicotine replacement products (NRTs), 4% sought medical support and 5% utilized e-cigarettes. About 1% of smokers opted for HTPs and 3% for the oral, chewing, nasal tobacco products in their quitting journey.
In 2021, 2.3% of youths (1.1% girls and 3.4% boys) in 8th and 9th grade were daily e- cigarette users.
Health and Economic Burden From Tobacco Use
In 2021, it was estimated that tobacco was the 5th highest risk factor driving the most death and disability combined in Finland.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 4.1 thousand deaths, which is about 14.1% of total deaths.
Of tobacco-related deaths, 3.9 thousand or 94.7% were due to smoking, and 268.7 or 6.6% were due to secondhand smoke.
In 2021, the top 10 causes of the most deaths in Finland included Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) ranking 1st, Stroke ranking 2nd, Lung Cancer ranking 4th and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ranking 8th.
Tobacco was responsible for an estimated 1.1 thousand or 10.2% of all IHD deaths, 267.7 or 7.0% of all Stroke deaths, 1.3 thousand or 71.9% of all Lung Cancer deaths, and 416.6 or 62.1% of all COPD deaths.
In 2021, tobacco use caused an estimated loss of 109.3 thousand disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which was about 16.0% of total DALYs. Tobacco accounts for 23.3 thousand DALYs for IHD, 7.4 thousand DALYs for Stroke, 27.8 thousand DALYs for Lung Cancer, and 10.5 thousand DALYs for COPD.
Regulatory Environment and Economics
Public Health Commitment
Finland ratified WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2005.
Finland adopted graphical health warnings (GHWs) on combustible cigarettes (CCs) in 2016, covering 65% of the front and 65% of the back of the packages. In addition, plain packaging (PP) for CCs was implemented in 2023.
Diverse Tobacco Market
HTPs are not marketed in Finland as of 2023, while e-cigarettes with and without nicotine are available. Both HTPs and e-cigarettes irrespective of nicotine content are classified as other tobacco products and are subject to the same regulations as combustible cigarettes (CCs). Specifically:
Plain Packaging restrictions are applied on HTPs and e-cigarettes.
Flavor restrictions are in place, allowing only tobacco flavors for e-cigs and HTPs.
Product restrictions for e-cigarettes include a maximum nicotine concentration to 20mg/ml, the tank capacity not exceeding 2ml, and refill containers limited to a maximum 10ml.
Text health warnings, covering 32% of both inner and outer surface packaging, are mandatory for both e-cigarettes and HTPs.
Taxation Policy
In 2022, total tax rate on retail prices of a pack of cigarette was 89.4%.
HTPs and e-cigarettes are subject to specific excise at EUR 0.30/gram for HTPs and EUR 0.30/ml on e-cigarettes regardless of nicotine content.
Finland applies a differential excise tax policy between CCs and HTPs, with the excise value of HTP is EUR 0.18/pack with its share (2.90%) on the retail selling price EUR 6.30/pack, while the excise value of CCs is EUR 7.07/pack with its share (72.91%) on the retail selling price EUR 9.70/pack.
Smoking and Advertising Bans3
- Weak smoking bans with complete level of compliance, and complete advertising bans with complete level of compliance were enforced in Finland in 2022.
Age Restrictions
- Tobacco products and e-cigarettes cannot be sold to individuals younger than 18 years of age in Finland.
Illicit Cigarette Trade
Estimated figures indicate that illicit cigarette trade remained below 10% with 9.5% in 2008, peaking to 11.2% in 2012, and fluctuating over the years and settling with 11% % in 2022.
In 2021, 0.5 billion counterfeit & contraband (C&C) cigarettes were consumed in Finland. The market share of C&C was 13.6% of the total cigarette market, costing the government an estimated EUR 205 million total tax revenue
Tobacco Production and Diversification
- Detailed data is not readily available from the Food and Agriculture Organization for Finland. (FAOSTAT [accessed January 2024])