BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Already in 1976 Finnish Parliament passed the first Tobacco Act, at that time quite pioneering. For nearly 50 years there has been no tobacco advertising or sales promotion in the country. After that the law has been amended eight times and it matches well with the best global and WHO recommendations.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: After the success in smoking control Finnish Parliament added in 2010 to the law the goal of tobacco free Finland. With the emergence of new nicotine products, the Parliament expanded this goal in 2016 to encompass a “tobacco- and nicotine-free Finland.” E-cigarettes are currently regulated under the Tobacco Act, and nicotine pouches will soon be included. Strong advocacy efforts are underway to push for stricter regulation of these products, to counteract the industry pressure through many channels. A ministerial working group has proposed further amendments to the Tobacco Act, including, among other measures, raising the minimum age for purchasing tobacco and nicotine products to 20 years.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: The prevalence of daily smoking among adults is currently around 10 % and among youth (14-20 years) 5 %. The goal of the Tobacco ​Act enjoys broad public support.
CONCLUSIONS: The reasons for success in tobacco control in Finland have been the active work and co-operation among researchers, health advocates and NGO`s, together with good monitoring and engagement with media. Tobacco and nicotine policies for the endgame goal, following the FCTC principles, calls for social change supported by sustained strong leadership and broad collaboration. It is not sufficient to merely understand what needs to be done; good understanding and close involvement in the political decision-making process are essential. The future challenges include maintaining political support for tobacco and nicotine policies, as well as resisting interference from nicotine companies, which is currently evident.