Estonia enacts tough tobacco law

  • 2001-01-11
  • Aleksei Gunter
TALLINN - In force since Jan. 1, the Estonian tobacco law bans smoking in a
number of places and sets requirements for pubs and tobacco sellers.

Despite numerous publications stating that from now on smoking won't
be permitted in the streets, the law doesn't restrict it but only
forbids minors to smoke in any place.

According to the law, it is prohibited to smoke in buildings and land
used for sports, health care, educational, cultural and governmental
institutions, tunnels, stairwells and offices and rented apartments
(if the landlord bans it). There is no smoking in public transport as
well. Consumer Protection Board police officers and officials will
enforce the law.

Andres Lipand of the Social Ministry's health promotion bureau told
The Baltic Times that the law doesn't define the legal concept of a
"public place" and therefore cannot be interpreted in the manner
currently being envisaged by several media outlets.

"The law clearly mentions where smoking is prohibited. It doesn't say
you can't smoke in the street," said Lipand.

According to Lipand, who was one of the authors of the law, Estonian
experts took into account the experience of several countries when
drafting it.

"Our main example was Finland, which was the first country that
introduced a tobacco act," said Lipand. He added that the ministry's
expert group also considered Swedish, Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish
laws on tobacco.

One of the articles of the tobacco law concerns wholesale trade. The
law allows payment for wholesale tobacco goods only by written
order, and may harm the interests of small enterprises.

Tiit Sinisaar of the social commission of the Parliament said he
thinks it could help to increase tax revenue.

The new law, however, is still far from real life. Restaurants and
bars must have a room for smokers equipped with an air conditioner
capable of processing at least eight liters of air per minute, but a
person would have to visit tens of establishments until he found a
place that meets the new requirements. Tallinners also don't seem to
care about the new media interpretation of the law and continue
puffing cigarettes in the street.

The law gives catering companies three years to purchase the
necessary air conditioning equipment.

The Social Ministry stated the new law is mostly focused on improving
national health.

However, Estonia's president seems to be a negative example for the
rest of the residents. Britain's Guardian called President Lennart
Meri a "Marlboro man" for his heavy chain smoking in a country which
ushered in the new year with some of the most sweeping measures
against smoking in Europe.