Switzerland to (partially) ban tobacco advertising

On 24 May 2023, the Swiss Federal Council presented its proposals to Parliament to ban tobacco advertising in public spaces, particularly aimed at children.[1]The very partial system does not meet the recommendations on banning tobacco advertising. The country, which has not ratified the FCTC – the WHO treaty – remains closely tied to the tobacco industry.

This proposal follows the popular initiative "Children without tobacco", launched by the association of the same name in 2019. Supported by health circles, it was approved during a consultation by 56.6% of voters and 15 cantons out of 23 in February 2022.[2]Its adoption required federal authorities to revise existing legislation.

This desire to regulate tobacco advertising is explained by citizens' desire to reduce children's exposure to smoking. In 2022, 6.9% of young people aged 11 to 15 in Switzerland smoked a cigarette in the last 30 days according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)[3].

The proposed bill would ban all forms of advertising for tobacco products in print media, kiosks and festivals. On the internet, age control would be required to access advertising and purchase tobacco products, in a similar approach to that for online gambling. Cigarette companies would also have to declare their advertising expenses. If parliament adopts the proposal, these rules would come into force in 2026.

Switzerland still far from WHO targets in tobacco control

"Any advertising that could reach minors will be banned," said Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation. "The simplest thing is to ban tobacco advertising - since young people have access to almost everything - except where we are sure they will not see it, that is to say on certain Internet sites."[4]. However, the partial ban on tobacco advertising has been shown to be ineffective by the teachings of scientific literature for decades. Article 13 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) specifies that only a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising is a measure that has been recognized as effective.[5].

The Swiss Association for the Prevention of Tobacco Use (ASPT) regrets the lack of ambition to combat the exposure of young people to tobacco and discusses the practical conditions for implementing this ban. In particular, it demands that paywalls put in place to prevent children from being exposed to tobacco advertising "meet defined standards" in order to prevent them from being diverted by tobacco industry players. In a press release, the ASPT also regrets that the proposal provides for the power of control to be delegated to the cantons, and it recommends that "the Confederation and the cantons carry out proactive controls to ensure proper compliance with the rules"[6].

Switzerland is one of the only countries in Europe, along with Monaco and Liechtenstein, that has not ratified the FCTC in Europe. As the headquarters of Philip Morris International (PMI), British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI), tobacco control policy remains tied to the positions of tobacco manufacturers. This situation leads Switzerland to be ranked penultimate in 2021 in the Tobacco Industry Interference Index.[7], highlighting the major weight of manufacturers in public policies. Tobacco taxes have not increased in the country since 2013, while each About 9,500 people die prematurely from smoking every year, and that tobacco consumption costs Switzerland 5 billion Swiss francs (4.6 billion euros) per year.

Keywords: Switzerland, advertising, tobacco, young people, children, regulations, popular initiative, smoking

©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] Tobacco advertising soon to be widely banned, RTS, May 25, 2023, consulted on May 30, 2023.

[2] Tobacco advertising goes up in smoke, 20 minutes Switzerland, February 13, 2022, consulted on May 30, 2023.

[3] Facts & Figures: Tobacco, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed May 30, 2023.

[4] "Any advertising that could reach minors will be prohibited", Le Matin, May 24, 2023, consulted on May 30, 2023

[5] WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, accessed May 31, 2023

[6] "Children without tobacco": Federal Council in favour of strict implementation, Swiss Association for the Prevention of Smoking, May 25, 2023, consulted on May 30, 2023

[7] Tobacco Industry Interference Index: Switzerland second to last worldwide, Swiss Association for the Prevention of Smoking, November 2, 2021, accessed May 31, 2023.

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