In Finland, it’s the government.
First, it was banned inside public buildings and work. Then it was banned outside, in bus-stops and inside restaurants. Advertising cigarettes is absolutely illegal and has been since forever. The new development is heading for an absolute ban of selling cigarettes. Supposedly it will go through some stages, first stripping the brands from the packets, leaving just a text of the brand on an all white-packet. The effects of such a ban can be seen in the selling of snuff, which is still available in Sweden and from which the Finns get theirs regularly and deal it under the counter in several places. It is out of sight and out of mind, but not out of reach. It might very well be that the cigarettes will suffer similar fate. The government will miss out on the tax revenues, but they can do the maths. The tax revenue pales in the face of the cost of treating the symptoms.
Have you seen this sign?
15% of the population are smokers in Finland. Out of those, most agree that making them stop is a genuinely good thing. There are those who dislike the patronizing, but to be honest, some nudging is needed. Today’s society is based on the gentle guidance of those who are wiser. A government acting against the citizens would never ban cigarettes. Finland, like many other European countries, has a substantial portion of the population reaching retirement age while the recession has wrecked the pension funds. Financially, in the short term, it would be wiser to just let go of the booze and cigs taxes and deny healthcare for those opting to puff or quaff.
Finns however, do care about the citizens and are taking the route that they know is the right way to go, no matter how hard it is. Just like the superfast-broadband-for-everyone law, the Finns are ploughing the way. Just like after the winter war, they are doing what needs to be done, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. I think it is all because of the location. It must beneficial to exist in between Sweden and Russia. Looking right, where the Swedes are constantly doing everything West, one can seek for inspiration in handling the policies. Peeking in the east though, where the Russians are always doing things wrong, is a sobering example of what not to do.
