Finland aims to become the first completely smoke-free country in the world and other news in brief.

The News: No smoking, please

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15620079/N001-110530-ENa.srt

Finland plans a progressive ban  on the sale of tobacco.

And a round up of today's  other news in pictures.

Finland has been on the heels  of smokers for a while.

This Nordic country is spearheading  the fight against smoking in Europe.

Finland has decided  to phase out tobacco use in 30 years.

The first measures have been taken.  Last October,

selling or giving tobacco to young people  under 18, or their possession of it,

was outlawed under the penalty  of six months in prison.

The big issue in the new law are  the measures to try to reduce smoking

and to prevent people starting to smoke  when they are teenagers.

It doesn’t work if you try to prevent  every smoker from smoking all at once.

Despite the 5 million deaths  caused by tobacco every year,

a principle defended even  on this international anti-tobacco day.

Smoking is not something healthy  and of course it can affect others,

but there are better ways to deal with it

than trying to educate adults  how to deal with their lives.

I don’t see a reason to somehow regulate  that this person is not allowed to smoke.

A further argument of the critics  of a tobacco-free society:

the eradication of smoking is likely  to benefit organised crime.

In 2008 European customs officers  seized 5.2 billion illegal cigarettes.

The EU adopted stricter rules against  the circulation of fake medicines.

Protective seals will have to be  affixed on packs of medicine.

The seizures of fake drugs have risen  by an unprecedented 400% since 2005.

The Maltese say yes to divorce  after a referendum.

While the ballot was only consultative,  it should open the way for new legislation.

Malta is the last country in Europe  to have outlawed divorce.

However, it has already agreed to  participate in a new EU regulation

which eases the divorce process  in 14 countries

when the spouses are  of different nationalities.

Around 20 Catholic, Jewish,  Muslim and Buddhist representatives

met in Brussels on Monday.  In the presence of EU leaders,

they debated the importance of respecting  and promoting rights and liberties.

EU leaders have conducted an annual  dialogue with religious representatives.