Act No. 14 protection against tobacco damage (Tobacco Damage Act)

The purpose of this Act is to limit the health damages that the use of tobacco products entails by reducing consumption and in the long run contribute to achieving a tobacco-free society. Furthermore, the Act sets measures to prevent children and young people to start using tobacco products, prompt those already using tobacco products to stop, and protect the population from exposure from tobacco smoke. The Act consists of 46 Sections divided into the following Chapters: 1. Introductory provisions; 2. Registration and supervision for the sale of tobacco products and substitutes; 3. Authorization for import, export, and production of tobacco products, etc.; 3A. Tracing system and safety marking of tobacco products; 4. Sales of tobacco products; 5. Marketing prohibitions, etc.; 6. Special prohibitions against tobacco use, etc.; 7. Labelling and design of tobacco products, etc.; 7A. Electronic cigarets, herbal smoking products, and new tobacco products; 8. Supervision and penalties; 9. Reporting duties; 10. Final provisions.
The Act applies to the import, export, sale, design and use of tobacco products, tobacco equipment, tobacco surrogates, tobacco imitations and new categories of tobacco and nicotine products. The sale of tobacco products and tobacco surrogates to consumers without registration with the Norwegian Directorate of Health is prohibited. Further, the import, export and production of tobacco products and equipment for tobacco production is prohibited without a permit. The Act prohibits to sell or hand over tobacco products, smoking equipment, tobacco surrogates or tobacco imitations to persons under 18 years of age, and prohibits all form of advertising and sponsoring of tobacco products. Further, the Act states that the air in premises and means of transport of public access shall be smoke-free, and lays down rules on standardized packaging, labelling and warning requirements. The import and sale of flavored cigarettes are prohibited. The authorities responsible for supervising this Act are the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Norwegian Medicines Agency, and Municipalities, among others.