Finland bans smoking in all rental apartments from next Thursday

Tamperelainen reports that the change takes effect next Thursday. It will ban smoking in all rental apartments across Finland and applies to existing leases. The announcement prompted strong reactions on the paper’s Facebook page.

The government has proposed reforms to the Tobacco Act that would let housing companies decide smoking bans for balconies, apartment yards and inside common areas without municipal approval. Those changes are due to take effect on 1 January 2027. Reader comments compiled by Tamperelainen show a split: some welcome the measure for health reasons and relief from neighbour smoke, while others call it unfair. "In the same building property owners can keep smoking completely unharmed," one reader wrote. Another warned the rule could push more late-night trips on stairs and spark new neighbourhood disputes.