Tobacco and nicotine products On this page Daily smoking has been declining for a long time Daily smoking in Finland has decreased significantly over the past few decades. Daily smoking among working-age people (20–64-year-olds) has declined notab...

Health risks of tobacco and nicotine products – how they affect health All tobacco and nicotine products are harmful to health. Although the products differ from one another, what they have in common is nicotine. In addition to causing dependence,...

Quality report: Tobacco statistics Data description Statistical presentation The Tobacco Statistics is a consolidated set of data compiled from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Statistics Finland, Finnish Customs, the Tax Admini...

Finland needs a bolder Tobacco Act Published 9.6.2026 The views expressed in the blog posts are the writers’ own and do not represent the official position of the institution. The age limit for the sales of nicotine products should be raised. Nico...

Tobacco and nicotine products – Compilation On this page Daily use of nicotine pouches has rapidly increased Daily use of nicotine pouches has increased rapidly in Finland, especially among vocational students and young adult men. In 2025, about o...

Nicotine products harm health The objective of the Tobacco Act is to end the use of tobacco and nicotine products. Key measures to achieve this goal include raising the age limit for products and prohibiting sales to young people and future genera...

Reducing the number of tobacco outlets supports smoking cessation Published 26.5.2021 The views expressed in the blog posts are the writers' own and do not represent the official position of the institution. The objective of the Finnish Tobacco Ac...

The rapid increase of nicotine products calls for stricter regulation and more effective prevention “The rapid increase in the use of nicotine products requires political decisions that respond to changes in the market. Proactive regulation of new...

Quit smoking Nicotine is highly addictive Nicotine dependence includes physical, psychological and social components. Its severity can be assessed based on quantity and regularity of use. Tobacco and nicotine use is strongly linked to daily habits...

Nicotine dependence can develop quickly Repeated use of nicotine leads the body to become accustomed and adapt to its effects quickly, which significantly increases the risk of dependence. A young person’s developing body is particularly sensitive...

Quit smoking Medications support smoking cessation According to research, nicotine replacement therapy and prescription medicines for smoking cessation increase the likelihood of success, especially when nicotine dependence is strong. Medication s...

Quit smoking How to succeed in quitting Quitting tobacco and nicotine product use is one of the best ways to improve your health and wellbeing. Change is not always easy, as nicotine dependence and habits can be strong. Quitting often happens grad...

The national action plan for Substance Use Prevention Duration 11.6.2026–31.12.2035 Unit at THL Mental Health, Substance Use and Addictions The National action plan for substance use prevention for 2026‒2035 guides work carried out at the national...

Quit smoking Quitting smoking pays off Regular smoking can shorten life expectancy by up to ten years. By quitting smoking, you also reduce the risk of many serious diseases that require long-term treatment or may lead to premature death. The best...

Quit smoking Smoking adults You can assess your level of dependence with a short two-question test. The test is based on the widely used Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence, which is used to evaluate the severity of dependence caused by smoki...

The study monitors the prevalence and trends of substance use and gambling among 15–16‑year‑old students across different European countries.

Mental Health, Substance Use and Addictions Head of Unit Thomas Karlsson The unit Monitors and studies the population’s mental health, substance use, gambling-related harm and addictions, as well as risk and protective factors. Provides data to su...

Children and young people – Adolescent substance use and gambling On this page Alcohol use is decreasing, but the decline in binge drinking has stalled The proportion of adolescents abstaining from alcohol in Finland has increased over a long peri...

Blog In our blog, our experts comment on current topics, interpret the significance of societal phenomena, and present new perspectives and solution proposals. THL’s official position is presented by the institute’s leadership. Previous blog posts...

11.6.2026 | Phenomena related to alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, and gambling have changed rapidly in recent years. Nicotine pouches have, for example, quickly become the most commonly used nicotine product in many population groups, alcohol availability has increased, and online gambling has become more widespread. The Action Plan for Preventive Substance Use Work for 2026–2035 provides solutions to address the problems arising from these developments.