In Geneva, the sale of tobacco products and similar products is now prohibited to minors

On January 17, 2020, the Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva unanimously adopted the State Council's bill aimed at banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors.

Beyond the ban on the sale of tobacco products to minors, the new law targets products similar to tobacco, i.e.: electronic cigarettes, refill bottles, cartridges and legal cannabis (CBD). Until now, there was no ban on the sale of tobacco or tobacco-related products to minors in Geneva. The adopted bill changes the situation: cigarettes and similar products are now in the same category as alcohol. Moreover, the text does not stop there: vaping will now be prohibited in public establishments.

The new law brings about a Copernican revolution in the treatment previously reserved for electronic cigarettes by placing them on the same level as traditional cigarettes. These products, which are similar to tobacco, will be regulated with new rigour; sellers of electronic cigarettes must now apply for a sales authorisation.

This law seems to initiate an intensification of the fight against tobacco in Switzerland. In 2013, the World Health Organization published a study[1] in which successful experiences of anti-smoking policies were listed. Switzerland was not included because many cantons were clearly lagging behind in terms of tobacco control. The new law seems to mark a significant step forward, even though Switzerland has still not ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which it signed in 2004.

©Tobacco Free Generation