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Dispute Continues in Court Between City and Nicotine Pouch Vendor – How is the Child Protection Law Interpreted?

Tuesday 9th 2024 on 08:30 in  
Finland

A dispute between a nicotine pouch seller and the city of Pori continues in the administrative court. The city has imposed a €5,000 penalty on Piitti, a company operating in a downtown shopping center, because it has not complied with Pori’s guidelines for displaying tobacco products. Pori has demanded that the company hide the products for sale and install a separate door in the store to prevent children and young people from encountering tobacco products.

Piitti’s entrepreneur, Ville Lehtimäki, criticizes Pori’s actions, claiming they stretch the requirements of the law. Lehtimäki states that tobacco products are not visible from outside the store, they can only be seen inside. According to him, this practice is allowed at the company’s other location in Lahti, but not in Pori.

Politicians are discussing the matter during the holiday season. The Pori Environmental Health Committee will meet this week during the holiday period to discuss a statement in which Pori defends its position. Riikka Jokiainen, the head of the Environmental and Health Inspection Unit, writes in her proposed response that tobacco products have been visible from outside the point of sale.

The case continues to be processed in the Turku administrative court. So far, the Administrative Court has overturned the company’s demand that the penalty imposed by Pori should not be enforced. According to the court, no circumstances have emerged thus far that would necessitate a prohibition on enforcement.

Ville Lehtimäki, CEO of Piitti, criticizes Pori’s interpretation of the law. The interview was from the end of May, at which point Pori had not yet imposed a fine. The reporter was Antti Laakso.