You won’t be able to buy tobacco on this Dutch island

This, however, has led to fears of encouraging illicit trade on Schiermonnikoog

Schiermonnikoog (don’t ask us to pronounce it) is a calm, wind-swept island where Dutch tourists can go and enjoy rural peace away from the bustle of larger cities. It’s mostly car-free, which means that getting around is done on foot or bicycles, and that has resulted in clean air.

From 1 July, the local air is about to get even more pristine after the Dutch authorities decided to completely ban the sale of tobacco and tobacco products in supermarkets, being the first country to do so. Technically, the ban only applies to general stores and not to gas stations or specialist tobacconists. However, the island, which only has 982 residents only has one village supermarket and no fuel stations. Plus, the online sale of tobacco was already outlawed last year.

What if you’re an island resident and a smoker?

Islanders who haven’t been able to kick their tobacco habit yet, and aren’t planning to do that, might be in for some tough times ahead. Apparently, Lauwersoog, the small port in Groningen where ferries to Schiermonnikoog depart from, will also lose its only sales point in July. The nearest place to buy tobacco legally will be a petrol station in Dokkum, 20 kilometres further down the road.

From 2030, gas stations will also be forced to stop selling tobacco as the Dutch government is working on its ambitious plans to create a smoke-free generation by 2040. Specialist tobacco shops will remain though.

Creating a specialized store on Schiermonnikoog, however, is deemed economically unsuitable as it only enjoys seasonal tourism, which wouldn’t justify having such a store open for 12 months there.

There are concerns in another direction, however, as the effective embargo on tobacco locally might be the grounds for the creation of an illicit trade in those products, which would mean that cigarettes will still be found but now at a higher price, similar to the street drug trade.