The EU raises minimum age for possession of weapons

The European Parliament agreed yesterday to introduce stricter gun laws in 2010. Up to now Finland's laws have permitted youths to possess sporting guns from age fifteen. But following the school massacre in Jokela the Finnish government has decided not to continue blocking the pan-European law raising the minimum age for possession of weapons to 18. Björn Mansson comments: "When the European Parliament addressed the issue yesterday, the Finnish MEPs had the bad taste to stress that shooting should continue to be a hobby open to minors in Finland - and this just three weeks after the Jokela tragedy. It's true, the perpetrator would have turned 18 a short time after the shooting, but he purchased the weapon under the very pretext that he would use it as a sporting gun."

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