Ordering tobacco, snus, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes online

You can order non-nicotine liquids to Finland from abroad.

According to the Tobacco Act, nicotine-free liquids intended for electronic cigarettes and disposable devices that resemble electronic cigarettes and that are filled with nicotine-free liquid can be ordered from abroad to Finland.

It should be noted, however, that the nicotine concentration may not always be appropriately marked on products ordered from abroad. If, upon import, Customs suspects that the nicotine concentration of a product has not been appropriately marked, the product may be examined by the Customs Laboratory.

If you order such products, you may however have to declare your order, and pay and tax and customs duty for it. Have a closer look at how to declare your order and the taxes you must pay.

You cannot order nicotine liquids to Finland from abroad. The prohibition applies to all types of nicotine liquids regardless of liquid strength. 

Liquids that do not contain nicotine can be ordered for delivery to Finland. 

You are not allowed to order e-cigarettes or related components from abroad.

According to the Finnish Tobacco Act, an electronic cigarette means a product as well as any component of that product used for inhaling nicotine-containing vapour through a mouthpiece. It makes no difference whether it is a disposable device already filled with nicotine liquid or refillable by means of a refill container.

It is mentioned in the preparatory work of the Tobacco Act that even if the manufacturer claims that the product is meant to be used solely for consuming nicotine-free liquids, the product is still considered an electronic cigarette, if it by virtue of its characteristics also is suitable for vaporising nicotine liquids. On the other hand, a disposable device filled with nicotine-free liquid does not fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette as defined in the Tobacco Act.

Electronic cigarette components are e.g. nicotine cartridges and a tank as well as a device without a nicotine cartridge or tank. Thus, in addition to complete devices, electronic cigarettes also include the spare components sold for them as well as components that the consumer can use to assemble an electronic cigarette.

There are many devices and components on the market, so Customs cannot know without investigating whether or not each vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette. In unclear cases we will stop the consignment and investigate the case in cooperation with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Customs does not issue any advance rulings on whether a vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette according to the Tobacco Act.

You can order cigarette paper from abroad to Finland.

Cigarette paper is classified as a smoking accessory. The Tobacco Act does not restrict imports of smoking accessories. 

If you order such products, you may however have to declare your order, and pay and tax and customs duty for it. Have a closer look at how to declare your order and the taxes you must pay.

Ordering waterpipe tobacco from abroad is prohibited. The prohibition applies regardless of whether the waterpipe tobacco contains tobacco plant or not.

You can order herb vaporisers from abroad to Finland under certain conditions. 

Vaporisers for healthcare purposes are not tobacco products. If the product has been classified as a medical device or accessory, it should fulfil certain criteria (the Finnish Medical Devices Act 629/2010). For example, such a device must have the CE marking.

A medical device or accessory is intended e.g. for:

a) diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of disease
b) diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, alleviation of, or compensation for, an injury or disability
c) investigation, replacement or modification of the anatomy or of a physiological process or
d) control of conception.

Medical devices and accessories are supervised by the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea. If the device is electrically operated, it must also meet the requirements regarding electrical appliances. The supervisory authority for electrical appliances is the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes).

There are many devices and components on the market, so Customs cannot know without investigating whether or not each vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette. In unclear cases we will stop the consignment and investigate the case in cooperation with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Customs does not issue any advance rulings on whether a vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette according to the Tobacco Act.

The Tobacco Act provides for the import prohibitions and restrictions on tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, nicotine liquids and herbal products for smoking and smokeless nicotine products. Persons under the age of 18 are not allowed to bring in tobacco products, nicotine liquids or tobacco substitutes into the country. Tobacco substitutes are for instance nicotine liquids, nicotine free liquids, energy snus, herbal cigarettes, nicotine pouches and other smokeless nicotine products.

Private individuals are not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from outside Finland, tobacco products, electronic cigarettes or nicotine liquids, ordered from a trader by means of distance communication, such as over the internet, by email, by mail or by phone. The same restriction concerns also herbal products for smoking and smokeless nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches. 

It is also prohibited to obtain and receive chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco, oral tobacco (snus) and some nicotine-containing liquids from outside Finland by mail or by any other similar means.

According to the Finnish Tobacco Act,

• A tobacco product is a product made wholly or partly of tobacco (nicotiana) and suitable for consumption. The nicotine-containing liquid used in electronic cigarettes is not a tobacco product, but a nicotine liquid in accordance with a special provision.
• A smokeless tobacco product is a tobacco product not involving a combustion process, including chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco or any other tobacco product that is not smoked.
• A tobacco product for smoking is a tobacco product other than a smokeless tobacco product. Tobacco products for smoking include e.g. cigarettes, cigars and roll-your-own tobacco. In accordance with the Tobacco Products Directive, waterpipe tobacco is also a tobacco product for smoking.
• A smoking accessory is an accessory or implement used for smoking or for the preparation of smoking. For example, cigarette paper and pipes are regarded as smoking accessories.
• A cigarette is a roll of tobacco as defined in section 4(1) of the Act on Excise Duty on Tobacco (1470/1994).
• A cigar is a roll of tobacco as defined in section 3(1) of the Act on Excise Duty on Tobacco.
• A cigarillo is a cigar that weighs no more than three grams.
• Roll-your-own tobacco is tobacco, which can be used for making cigarettes by consumers or retail outlets. Tobacco, which can be used both as roll-your-own tobacco and via waterpipes is roll-your-own tobacco.
• Pipe tobacco is tobacco that can be consumed via a combustion process and is exclusively intended for use in a pipe.
• Waterpipe tobacco is a tobacco product, which can be used exclusively for smoking via a waterpipe.
• Chewing tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product exclusively intended for chewing.
• Nasal tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product that can be consumed via the nose.
• Tobacco for oral use is a tobacco product for oral use, made wholly or partly of tobacco, in powder or in particulate form or in any combination of those forms, but not intended to be inhaled or chewed.
• A tobacco substitute is a product intended for use similarly to a tobacco product, but does not contain tobacco.
• A smokeless tobacco substitute is a substitute intended for use in a similar way to chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco and tobacco for oral use, and which contains nicotine.
• A herbal product for smoking is a tobacco substitute made of plants and intended for smoking. Instead of the tobacco plant, the product contains other plants, such as herbs or fruits. Herbal products for smoking include so-called herbal cigarettes as well as tobacco-free herbal mixtures for smoking via a waterpipe.
• Electronic cigarette is a product used for inhaling nicotine-containing vapour via a mouthpiece. Electronic cigarette also means any component of that product.
• Nicotine liquid is a liquid containing nicotine, which is intended to be vaporised using an electronic cigarette, and which has a nicotine concentration of no more than 20 milligrams per millilitre and which is not to be used for a purpose defined in section 3(1) of the Medicines Act (395/1987).
• Nicotine-free liquid for vaporisation is a liquid, which is intended to be vaporised using an electronic cigarette or in another similar manner and which is not a nicotine liquid.
• A refill container is a receptacle that contains a nicotine liquid, which can be used to refill an electronic cigarette.

Private individuals are not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from Åland to mainland Finland, tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, nicotine liquids, smokeless nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches or herbal products for smoking, ordered from a trader by means of distance communication, such as over the internet, by email, by mail or by phone.

It is also prohibited to obtain and receive chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco and oral tobacco (snus) from Åland to mainland Finland by mail or by any other similar means.