Switzerland bans puffs at the federal level

The Council of States has approved a ban on disposable electronic cigarettes known as "puffs."[1]The motion, initiated by Christophe Clivaz of the Greens, was adopted by 19 votes to 11, with 3 abstentions, and will be forwarded to the Federal Council for implementation.

Switzerland speaks out against the sale of puffs, which are harmful to health and the environment

Single-use electronic cigarettes, or "puffs," will be banned from sale in Switzerland. On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, the Council of States forwarded a motion to this effect from the National Council, initiated by Christophe Clivaz (Greens/VS), to the Federal Council. Puffs have been available on the Swiss market since 2020, and young people are particularly attracted to these colorful products with their multiple flavors.

By 2022, ten million puffs had already been imported and since then nearly 30 additional %s are imported each year.[2]In 2023, 16% of young people aged 15 to 24 were using e-cigarettes, according to the FOPH's "Health and Lifestyle" survey. Teachers also reported that students as young as 12 had difficulty giving up puffing on disposable e-cigarettes during breaks.

" This is a significant victory for the protection of young people's health, as these harmful and addictive gadgets are marketed by the tobacco industry specifically to teens and young adults. It's also good news for the planet, as puffs are an ecological disaster. " said Christophe Clivaz.

Indeed, the puffs available on the market all contain flavorings and often nicotine in the form of nicotine salt, which has a higher addictive potential. This poses an increased risk of addiction to this substance in young people, whose brains are still developing.

Single-use e-cigarettes are also often thrown into the trash or into nature, even though they contain plastic, electronic, and chemical components. They are also the cause of numerous fires in recycling centers, where, according to Sens eRecycling, the return rate for used devices remains very low, as 90% of importers do not pay the recycling tax.

Recognition of the dangers of puffs, and their ban, are gaining ground

The Valaisan had submitted his proposal in 2023 to denounce these single-use products which have invaded the market since 2020 and " may contain high amounts of nicotine, sometimes even exceeding the legal threshold of 20 mg/ml, a quantity corresponding, [in terms of nicotine] to several hundred puffs of conventional cigarettes, or more than a pack ".

The Federal Council was initially opposed to the motion, considering that " that a ban on the sale of single-use e-cigarettes limited to Switzerland would create a new technical barrier to trade ", while at the cantonal level, Bern, Valais and Jura had already banned puffs[3]Basel-Stadt, Ticino, Solothurn, Schaffhausen, Geneva and Vaud also supported the implementation of such a ban.

But, at the June 2024 session, the National Council recognized the problem and accepted the motion by 122 votes to 63, finding support in all parties, even in the SVP.[4]The Federal Council must now ensure that these products disappear from kiosks and other points of sale.

In Europe, the ban on puffs has been in effect in Belgium since 1^er January 2025, in France since February 26, 2025 and in the United Kingdom since February 1^er June 2025, while political discussions along the same lines are taking place in Ireland and in Germany.

Elsewhere in the world, other countries have taken the measure of the danger of puffs, like New Zealand which banned their marketing from 1^er August 2023.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1]Blick, Single-use e-cigarettes will be banned in Switzerland, published June 4, 2025, accessed June 4, 2025

[2]Keystone-SDA, Federal councilors want to ban electronic disposable cigarettes, Blue Win, published June 4, 2025, accessed June 5, 2025

[3]Tobacco-free generation, Switzerland: Valais canton bans puffs, published November 20, 2024, accessed June 4, 2025

[4]Felley Eric, Puffs will soon be banned in Switzerland, Le Matin, published June 4, 2025, consulted June 4, 2025

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