Tallinn police to impose fines on smoking adolescents
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Finnish teens heading for Estonia are advised to prepare themselves for police involvement and possible fines, if they intend to smoke cigarettes, take snuff, or drink alcohol while in the country.
In Estonia, all persons under 18 are prohibited from smoking or taking snuff, as according to the country's law, minors are not even allowed to be in possession of tobacco products.
Minors are also forbidden from consuming alcohol beverages.
"The law applies also to foreigners aged less than 18", reports Julia Garanza from the Estonian police.
The Tallinn Police Prefecture is to arrange special police stings in the course of the spring in order to uphold the smoking ban on youngsters.
During the latest drive at Easter, the police caught 42 persons who were violating the ban. Many of them were picked up in the neighbourhood of the Viru Center, popular even among Finnish tourists, in downtown Tallinn.
The penalty for an offence will be fines - and Finns and other foreigners would be equally liable to prosecution.
The size of the fines for smoking or taking snuff is a maximum of EEK 600 or about EUR 38.00.
The maximum penalty for the consumption of alcohol beverages is the same.
On the other hand, Garanza notes that instead of fines, the police can also issue a mere warning.
In Finland, the law forbids stores from selling alcohol or tobacco products to minors. Moreover, it is also illegal to buy alcohol beverages on behalf of underage persons. However, minors as such are not punished for smoking or consuming alcohol, although it is quite possible the police would pour away any alcohol found on someone who was clearly underage.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 20.4.2006 - TODAY |
 Tallinn police to impose fines on smoking adolescents
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