The study, commissioned by A-klinikkasäätiö, Ehkäisevä päihdetyö EHYT ry, and Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto, reflects growing unease over how alcohol delivery could impact families and children, with over 70% of participants predicting an increase in child protection cases if the policy is implemented.
The results mirror earlier findings from Finland's National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), which published a report in February 2024 showing that 45% of Finns had little to no trust in the ability to properly supervise alcohol deliveries. Only 6% of respondents believed that existing systems were reliable enough to manage such a service.
The concerns are not limited to households with heavy alcohol use. "It is a misconception that the harms of alcohol only affect families with excessive drinking habits," said Hannu Jouhki, CEO of A-klinikkasäätiö. "The most significant issues often arise in working families, where problems may go unnoticed for longer periods."
The debate comes at a time when Finland’s child protection services are facing significant strain. In 2023, child protection reports were filed for 110,269 children, representing an 11% increase from the previous year. This means that around one in ten Finnish children is in need of support from child welfare services.
"Resources for child protection are already stretched to their limits. Increasing alcohol availability through home delivery would only add to this burden," said Oona Ylönen, Secretary General of the Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto.
Substance abuse and child protection organizations have voiced concerns that the government’s focus on expanding alcohol availability—such as raising the alcohol content limit for store-bought beverages to 8%—neglects the importance of preventing alcohol-related harms. The latest proposal to allow home delivery is seen as a continuation of this trend.
"Making alcohol easier to access leads to increased consumption and more harm for families," said Juha Mikkonen, Director of EHYT ry. "According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most effective ways to prevent alcohol-related harm are to limit its availability, raise prices, and regulate advertising."
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government has outlined a policy goal of shifting the emphasis from corrective services to earlier intervention and prevention in its program titled "Strong and Caring Finland." However, critics argue that recent budget cuts to three major substance abuse organizations—A-klinikkasäätiö, EHYT ry, and Sininauhaliitto—along with reductions in funding for child protection efforts, are counterproductive to these goals.
The joint "Invisible Children" campaign, launched by several organizations, aims to raise awareness about the effects of alcohol policies on children. It is estimated that around 89,000 children in Finland are affected by parental substance abuse. Many of these children and their families turn to services provided by non-profit organizations for support.
The campaign calls for the protection of children’s rights to be prioritized in the ongoing reform of Finland’s alcohol laws. A petition to ensure that children’s welfare is considered in future alcohol policy decisions is currently being circulated by the organizations behind the survey.
The survey, conducted in August 2024 by Bilendi via an online panel, polled 1,000 Finnish adults from across the country, excluding Åland. The sample was evenly split between men and women, with 10% of respondents aged 18-24. Representation from other age groups ranged from 15-17%. One-third of respondents were from Uusimaa, Finland’s most populous region.
HT
