Estonia’s new tobacco legislation to limit smoking on passenger vessels to Finland
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Estonia’s new tobacco legislation that is being phased in from the beginning of May is set to affect many of the passenger vessels sailing between Tallinn and Helsinki.
The law will also apply to ships registered in Estonia, although they will be getting a one-year period of grace to set up the mandated non-smoking areas.
Many Finns who came back from Estonia after spending Easter holidays there were still reeking of tobacco smoke, although this could have had as much to do with the age of the vessels as with the amount of tobacco smoke in the air during a particular crossing.
"The ships differ quite a bit according to whether or not they were built in the 1980s or after 2000", notes Keijo Mehtonen, CEO of the Tallink shipping line.
He says that the company will make all of the changes that are required, and if the requirements are too strict, they will have to consider the option of registering the ships with another country, or other possible measures.
Tallink’s Estonian-registered vessels include the Romantika, Meloodia, and Fantaasia, as well as four smaller high-speed vessels.
The most modern of the Tallink ships is the Romantika, which was built in 2002. It already has good ventilation, and separate smoking sections in the restaurants.
Smoking is not allowed in the passenger cabins, children’s play areas, or small cafes of any of the ships. Mehtonen notes that the situation is about the same as on land in Finland.
Smoking is permitted in the discos and dance restaurants.
Passengers arriving in Helsinki on the Romantika on Tuesday were generally quite pleased. "The ship was quite clean", said Helly Surakka.
Smokers had their own corners, and the ship itself was not packed full with passengers. Surakka says that the Meloodia had been much stuffier.
She was also pleased that the streets of Tallinn were not covered by cigarette butts; people used the cans that were provided.
Vessels run by Linda Lines are also registered in Estonia. The Linda Express is a non-smoking vessel, while smoking is permitted in the bar of the Laura.
Ships of the Åland-registered Eckerö Line have a total smoking ban in all food restaurants, and separate smoking sections in some of the bars.
According to CEO Håkan Nordström, Eckerö Line has the smoking situation under control.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 14.4.2004 - TODAY |
 Estonia’s new tobacco legislation to limit smoking on passenger vessels to Finland |
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