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Like many Eastern European countries, Latvia takes a hard line on alcohol. It has some of Europe’s highest taxes on wine, beer, and spirits. Spirits cannot be advertised on television, radio, or outdoors. Beer and wine cannot be advertised on billboards. Alcohol sponsorship was almost entirely prohibited in 2014.
Alcohol cannot be delivered after 10 PM and Latvia’s Reducing Alcohol Consumption and Alcoholism Plan includes proposals to reduce the drink-driving limit to almost zero and ban all alcohol advertising in print media, cinemas, and online. Price promotions and complimentary drinks in gambling venues will also be banned.
Tobacco advertising is illegal in all forms. Cigarette vending machines are prohibited and a tobacco retail display ban was introduced in October 2020. Smoking is generally banned indoors although designated smoking areas are permitted in workplaces, casinos, airports, and some trains. Smoking is banned at public transport stops and within 10 m of government buildings, as well as in parks, squares, and playgrounds except in designated areas. The ban includes outdoor places within 10 m of government buildings, public transport stops, apartment stairwells/corridors, balconies, and around children. If someone asks you to stop smoking near them, you must do so by law. The same rule applies to vaping.
E-cigarettes are classified as consumer products and can be sold to anyone over the age of 18, but their use is prohibited wherever smoking is banned. Latvia has not embraced tobacco harm reduction. It used to have a complicated system of taxation for e-cigarette fluid based on nicotine strength, but this was simplified in 2021 when vape juice was taxed at €0.12 per ml. This rose to €0.16 per ml in 2022 and rose again to €0.20 per ml in 2023, thereby adding €2 to a standard 10 ml bottle. Tax on heated tobacco rose from €80/kg to €120/kg in 2023.
Latvia banned the sale of energy drinks to people aged under 18 in June 2016. There are also restrictions on energy drink advertising (it is banned in schools, on children’s television, on public buildings and it cannot be associated with sport). Advertisements must carry a warning about the supposed risks of drinking them. Energy drinks must be displayed separately from other food items in shops.
Sweetened soft drinks, including those with zero calories, are taxed at €0.074 per litre.
About
The Nanny State Index (NSI) is a league table of the worst places in Europe to eat, drink, smoke and vape. The initiative was launched in March 2016 and was a media hit right across Europe. It is masterminded and led by IEA’s Christopher Snowdon with partners from all over Europe.
Enquiries: info@epicenternetwork.eu
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About the Editor
Christopher Snowdon is the head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. His research focuses on lifestyle freedoms, prohibition and policy-based evidence. He is a regular contributor to the Spectator, Telegraph and Spiked and often appears on TV and radio discussing social and economic issues.
Snowdon’s work encompasses a diverse range of topics including ‘sin taxes’, state funding of charities, happiness economics, ‘public health’ regulation, gambling and the black market. Recent publications include ‘Drinking, Fast and Slow’, ‘The Proof of the Pudding: Denmark’s Fat Tax Fiasco’, ‘A Safer Bet’, and ‘You Had One Job’. He is also the author of ‘Killjoys’ (2017), ‘Selfishness, Greed and Capitalism’ (2015), ‘The Art of Suppression’ (2011), ‘The Spirit Level Delusion’ (2010), ‘Velvet Glove, Iron Fist’ (2009).
Latvia 2023
Like many Eastern European countries, Latvia takes a hard line on alcohol. It has some of Europe’s highest taxes on wine, beer, and spirits. Spirits cannot be advertised on television, radio, or outdoors. Beer and wine cannot be advertised on billboards. Alcohol sponsorship was almost entirely prohibited in 2014.
Alcohol cannot be delivered after 10 PM and Latvia’s Reducing Alcohol Consumption and Alcoholism Plan includes proposals to reduce the drink-driving limit to almost zero and ban all alcohol advertising in print media, cinemas, and online. Price promotions and complimentary drinks in gambling venues will also be banned.
Tobacco advertising is illegal in all forms. Cigarette vending machines are prohibited and a tobacco retail display ban was introduced in October 2020. Smoking is generally banned indoors although designated smoking areas are permitted in workplaces, casinos, airports, and some trains. Smoking is banned at public transport stops and within 10 m of government buildings, as well as in parks, squares, and playgrounds except in designated areas. The ban includes outdoor places within 10 m of government buildings, public transport stops, apartment stairwells/corridors, balconies, and around children. If someone asks you to stop smoking near them, you must do so by law. The same rule applies to vaping.
E-cigarettes are classified as consumer products and can be sold to anyone over the age of 18, but their use is prohibited wherever smoking is banned. Latvia has not embraced tobacco harm reduction. It used to have a complicated system of taxation for e-cigarette fluid based on nicotine strength, but this was simplified in 2021 when vape juice was taxed at €0.12 per ml. This rose to €0.16 per ml in 2022 and rose again to €0.20 per ml in 2023, thereby adding €2 to a standard 10 ml bottle. Tax on heated tobacco rose from €80/kg to €120/kg in 2023.
Latvia banned the sale of energy drinks to people aged under 18 in June 2016. There are also restrictions on energy drink advertising (it is banned in schools, on children’s television, on public buildings and it cannot be associated with sport). Advertisements must carry a warning about the supposed risks of drinking them. Energy drinks must be displayed separately from other food items in shops.
Sweetened soft drinks, including those with zero calories, are taxed at €0.074 per litre.
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