Ministry says alcohol poses a threat to Finnish internal security

Action programme urges heavier taxation and reduction in consumption to 2003 levels

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Finnish drinking habits pose a considerable threat to the security of the nation.
      This is the view of the Ministry of the Interior, which on Tuesday published a broad-based action programme to improve internal security in the country.
      Security is being eroded by such things as marginalisation, accidents, and violence. Alcohol is seen as the most common reason for violence and the cause of countless accidents. “Finland is paying a stiff price for its alcohol culture”, says the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ritva Viljanen.
     
The most common cause of death among the Finnish working-age population is alcohol.
      In 2006, 1,650 people of working age died of alcohol-related ailments or as a direct result of drinking.
     
Marginalisation is the greatest threat to internal security, believes the Ministry of the Interior.
      What is new in this respect is a form of congenital social problems, with the difficulties being easily passed from one generation to the next.
      The ministry sees the trend as “worrying”.
      The idea behind the action programme is to make Finland the safest country in Europe by 2015.
      Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (National Coalition Party) acknowledges that the timetable is “challenging”.
     
The programme indicates that other threats facing Finns within their own borders are emerging racism, major accidents, the vulnerability of IT systems and networks, data crime and organised international criminal gangs, terrorism, and violent radical groups.
      In addition to painting a picture of the lurking dangers, the ministry offers several suggestions for warding off the threats.
     
The cure of choice for the thirst for hard liquor would be further increases in alcohol taxation, encouraging sales to decline to the levels of five years ago or even below this point.
      Consumption has climbed over the past five years by as much as 15%, and indeed the figures have been rising at a more sedate pace ever since the 1960s.
      March 2004 saw an unprecedented cut in the taxation on alcohol, designed to pre-empt a rush of booze tourism to Estonia when that country joined the European Union two months later.
      The price-cuts, which then focused most strongly on spirits, have since been somewhat retracted, with alcohol taxes raised across the board such that from January 1st this year a 50cl bottle of Koskenkorva, the popular Finnish clear spirit (38%), cost EUR 10.49, an increase of EUR 1.14.
      The price before the cuts of 2004 was nevertheless still higher, close to EUR 14.30.
     
One inhibitor of marginalisation in society offered is support for village activities in sparsely populated rural areas.
      The programme also calls for a tougher line on racist offences, more education in the prevention of data crimes, speedy and effective intervention in cases of violence against children, and improvements in oil spill clearance readiness in the face of a growing threat of environmental disasters.
      A total of around 200 experts from different fields took part in compiling the action programme.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Programme aimed at reducing harm of increased alcohol consumption (28.4.2004)
  Finnish alcohol consumption heads upwards again (5.3.2008)
  Alcohol-related deaths rise by one third from 2000 (30.11.2007)

Links:
  Ministry of the Interior

Helsingin Sanomat