Government wants new efforts to discourage youth smoking

Possession of tobacco products to be banned for under-18s

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The government wants to ban the possession of tobacco products by those under the age of 18. No punishments are in store for kids caught with cigarettes or smoking them, but police would have the right to confiscate the items.
      However, adults who enable smoking by young people would be subject to fines, or even imprisonment. A proposed law would make it a crime for private individuals to pass on tobacco to minors.
      On Wednesday, Minister of Social Services Paula Risikko (Nat. Coalition Party) announced the measures that are being proposed by the government’s ministerial group on social policy. The proposals are to come before Parliament during the spring.
     
Under the proposal, stores would no longer be allowed to keep cigarettes visibly on display. Clerks would be allowed to give customers a list of tobacco products on sale, and their prices.
      The changes would take effect after a two-year transition period.
      The ban on having cigarettes visibly on display would not apply to specialist tobacconists' shops, off limits to those under 18, but they would also be required to take tobacco products out of their display windows.
      Smoking in places where there are children and young people would also be banned - for instance, in cars where there are children.
     
There are also plans to change regulations concerning the personal import of smokeless tobacco.
      Personal import of smokeless tobacco, or Snus, which is sold in Sweden, would not be banned completely, but imports would be limited to 30 boxes. Passing on or selling imported smokeless tobacco to others would be banned.
      Sweden is the only EU country to allow the sale of smokeless tobacco.
     
The ministerial group does not want to ban liquorice pipes, however. A proposal for such a ban - based on the argument that sweets mimicking cigaretes or smoking were to be actively discouraged - was made by a tobacco working group in December. There are also no plans for an outright ban on the depiction of smoking in films or on the stage.
      Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä (Centre) also wants to give restaurants the right to sell nicotine chewing gum to their customers.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland considers further tightening of Tobacco Act (5.2.2009)

See also:
  Anti-smoking committee wants much heavier restrictions on all nicotine products and their substitutes (19.12.2008)

Links:
  Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Helsingin Sanomat