Slovenia has endured several years of creeping authoritarianism in the field of lifestyle regulation. The government passed the Restriction of the Use of Tobacco and Related Products Act in February 2017, legislating for plain packaging (due to be introduced January 2020), a total ban on tobacco advertising, a display ban and a licensing regime for retailers.

Since March 2017, e-cigarettes have been regulated as tobacco products. This bans vaping wherever smoking is banned and prohibits the cross-border sale of e-cigarette products. E-cigarette advertising is also subject to a tobacco-style ban. A €0.18 per ml tax on e-cigarette fluid was introduced in April 2016 with the explicit aim of discouraging smokers from switching to vaping.

Cigarette vending machines are banned nationwide and it is illegal to ‘show and use tobacco, tobacco products and related products on television and in public performances intended for persons younger than 18’. On the plus side, Slovenia has stopped short of introducing the kind of draconian smoking ban that is common in Anglo-Saxon countries. It allows designated smoking rooms of up to twenty per cent of the surface area of the premises, although patrons cannot bring food or drink into them.

 Slovenia has entirely banned advertising for alcoholic drinks which are above 15 per cent ABV. Commercials for beer and wine, if below 15 per cent, can be broadcast on TV and radio between 9.30pm and 7am, and in cinemas after 10 pm. No advertising of alcoholic products is permitted on billboards within 300 metres of a school or kindergarten. Beer taxes are high but there is no wine duty and taxes on spirits are close to the EU average.

The government has passed little legislation under the pretext of obesity prevention although food vending machines are banned in schools.