Tougher Anti-Smoking Law Delayed

Changes to the law aimed at reducing smoking among the young are being delayed because of the heavy workload at the Ministry of Justice.

The revision under consideration would set fines or even jail sentences for selling tobacco products to minors.

A draft bill is under consideration by Parliament's committee on social affairs and health.

"A study of youth health shows that 14 year-olds are sold tobacco 15 500 times a month. Every month 16 year-olds are sold tobacco 70 000 times," notes committee member MP Hannakaisa Heikkinen.

The committee is to forward its proposal on fines and jail sentences for selling tobacco products to minors to the floor for debate in the near future.

And, although the Justice Minister Tuija Brax says that she is in favour of the change, the lack of human resources at her ministry means that bill cannot be formally formulated in time.

"We have three experts on criminal justice and they all have full calendars for the next two years," says Brax.

Anti-tobacco activist Professor Erkki Aurejärvi is pressuring for swift passage of new sanctions. He claims that tobacco companies do all that they can to get young people to smoking, including additives to their products that expand the bronchial tubes and anesthetise the larynx to make it possible for children to smoke.

The CEO of the Finnish subsidiary of Philip Morris International, Marju Vähimaa has declined to comment on Professor Aurejärvi's claims. According to Vähimaa, tobacco products are damaging to health and are intended for adults.