The decision was passed following a referendum in February 2022, with 57% of Swiss voters agreeing that children and young people should be protected from tobacco advertising.
Under new laws that will come into effect from mid-2026, authorities will also increase restrictions on packaging and advertising for cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
Print media, stores or events where minors may visit will not be allowed to advertise tobacco products or e-cigarettes.
However, online advertising will still be allowed, provided there is an age control system in place. In addition, the government will also ban tobacco sponsorship of events attended by people under 18.
The move is aimed at reducing tobacco consumption and smoking-related deaths.
Smoking remains widespread in Switzerland. Government statistics show that 9,500 people die prematurely each year from smoking. It is one of the country’s biggest public health problems.
The Swiss government stresses that smoking causes many non-communicable diseases and medical treatment costs up to 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.37 billion) per year.
Tobacco advertising has a major impact on the decision to start smoking. In 2022, 6.9% of Swiss children aged 11-15 smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days, while 5.7% of adolescents aged 15-24 had used e-cigarettes at least once a month.
In fact, due to the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, some countries have completely banned the sale of e-cigarettes such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Singapore, Thailand...
Meanwhile, many countries, such as the US, list e-cigarettes as tobacco products, so they are subject to strict control by authorities including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Advertising and marketing of e-cigarettes is also restricted in many states in the US.
Similar to many European countries, e-cigarettes may be classified as traditional cigarettes and their use in public places will be restricted. Regulations require manufacturers to comply with maximum nicotine levels in e-cigarettes. At the same time, companies are required to label each e-cigarette with health warnings for users.
Minh Hoa (reported by Vietnam+, Tuoi Tre)
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