@article {Timberlaketobaccocontrol-2018-054779, author = {David S Timberlake and Ulla Laitinen and Jaana M Kinnunen and Arja H Rimpela}, title = {Strategies and barriers to achieving the goal of Finland{\textquoteright}s tobacco endgame}, elocation-id = {tobaccocontrol-2018-054779}, year = {2019}, doi = {10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054779}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Objectives Finland boldly legislated the end of tobacco use in its 2010 Tobacco Act, and subsequently expanded the goal in 2016 to eradicate other nicotine-containing products. This study explored stakeholders{\textquoteright} perceptions about the strengths, barriers, solutions and rationale for Finland{\textquoteright}s comprehensive but conventional strategy to achieve its nicotine-free goal.Design Study participants were selected based on expertise in policy or practice of tobacco control (n=32). Semi-structured interviews, conducted in 2017 and 2018, covered topics ranging from consensus among stakeholders to Finland{\textquoteright}s ranking on the 2016 Tobacco Control Scale. The framework method was chosen for analysing interview transcripts.Results A perceived strength of Tobacco-Free Finland 2030 was the consensus and cooperation among members of the tobacco control community. The objective of becoming a nicotine- versus smoke-free society had almost unanimous support, challenged by a small minority who argued for greater discussion of harm reduction approaches. The need for maintaining legitimacy and historical successes in tobacco control were reasons for using a conventional strategy. Barriers to achieving the endgame goal included insufficient funding and over-reliance on non-governmental organisations, political/legal constraints, impact of institutional practices on tobacco disparities, ambivalence about the role of mass media and lack of prioritising smoking cessation.Conclusions Stakeholders{\textquoteright} broad confidence in reaching the goal of Finland{\textquoteright}s tobacco endgame suggests that future policy initiatives will reflect the current, conventional strategy. If the Finnish government chooses to continue this approach, then it should designate separate funds for Tobacco-Free Finland 2030 and implement structural changes that will facilitate tobacco control initiatives.}, issn = {0964-4563}, URL = {https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2019/05/30/tobaccocontrol-2018-054779}, eprint = {https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2019/05/30/tobaccocontrol-2018-054779.full.pdf}, journal = {Tobacco Control} }