Yes, well that was before you were in the EU, right? So it's tax free on the ferry.

Even since the EU, alcohol is MUCH cheaper in the Baltics, mostly because of lower alcohol tax maybe other reasons, I am not sure. The Finnish people can't help themselves, it's just too easy - cheap and available everywhere.

I am going on the Riga to Stockholm ferry in a couple of days. Oh my word.... Half the reason most people go on these Baltic Sea trips is probably just to get drunk. It's really terrible but I don't want to fly so it's my only option.

On being a Scandinavia clone: Well if that's what you want.... There are definitely worse countries to use as a model! But we have almost a million immigrants from Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan and other countries 3rd world countries with totally different culture. A large proportion of them have no job. As you can imagine, that is not working well at all. But I have not seen a black or middle eastern person at all in the Baltics. Compared with that, the Russians, who you are not crazy about, are nothing, the difference in culture is marginal. Sweden and Norway have made a terrible mistake with this, in my opinion, and you have not made that mistake. One day, this might bring down our countries into chaos, while the Baltic states are unaffected.

On alcohol ads: Those are banned in Scandinavia. You can not advertise for any alcohol at all. Only international papers have it. There is enough temptation for alcoholics without having to see ads about their drug. I think that is a good law.

Following from KidKBlooms comment:
The Scandinavian system will probably not last much longer. Scandinavia is absolutely under onslaught of American media and foreign owned papers, reading these papers and listening to TV with a different message than before is changing peoples opinions. People are voting differently and are starting to think like Americans/globalists... Our system is not going to hold up for much more of this, already some very fundamental principles have been abandoned.

The idea with that system is that it's not banning alcohol completely and therefore abandoning control to criminals.
But it's making it hard to get, expensive and under state control. It can be frustrating like I said, but the idea is that normal people put up with it to prevent mass alcoholism and help those who are already trapped. In France or Italy the system would make no sense, but for us, it does.

Capecoddah, this system can not be compared with anything in America. Profit is not the motive. The motive is to keep alcohol available, but under relatively strict control.

Here is a picture of the typical Systembolaget. You can view the merchandise through glass window and read their very informative text about each bottle.... Like "this traditional vodka from Russia has a woody and spicy flavour and is produced at the factory in xyz city.... blah, blah... It is best enjoyed with potato and herring... "
Then you take a queue ticket and wait for your turn... people have to show their ID card to buy alcohol and anyone who is visibly drunk will be refused.