Advertising ban to protect children and young people from tobacco

The initiative "Yes to protecting children and young people from tobacco advertising" (children and young people without tobacco advertising) wants to enshrine a ban on advertising in the constitution: any type of advertising for tobacco products that reaches children and young people should be prohibited. In addition, health protection is to be added to the existing article on the promotion of children and young people.

Effective bans

The initiators explain what this could mean in concrete terms in the written documents for the referendum. Tobacco advertising in print media, on the Internet, on posters, in cinemas or at points of sale would be banned. Free offers in clubs, cigarette logos on clothing, discounts, competitions or sponsorship would also no longer be permitted. According to the initiators, such bans have been proven to significantly reduce tobacco consumption. Partial bans, such as the ban on advertisements in media that are mainly aimed at minors, would only have a limited effect.

The initiative is backed by health and youth organizations. The committee includes the Swiss Association of Youth Associations (SAJV), the Swiss Medical Association (FMH), the Swiss Association of General Practitioners and Paediatricians (mfe), the Swiss Pharmacists' Association, the Swiss Druggists' Association and the Swiss Health Leagues Conference (GELIKO).

Pressure from the tobacco lobby

The organizations launched the initiative against the backdrop of the failed Tobacco Products Act. In 2015, the Federal Council proposed banning tobacco advertising on posters, in print and online media and in cinemas. Sponsorship would still have been permitted under certain circumstances. Tobacco companies should also be allowed to continue advertising smoking products at kiosks and vending machines. Parliament wanted nothing to do with this. The free market economy should be given more weight than prevention, it said. However, the provisions on the protection of minors were hardly controversial. At the end of 2016, the councils instructed the Federal Council to draw up a toned-down draft. It has since presented new proposals. The focus is on a nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products to under-18s. The existing ban on tobacco advertising explicitly aimed at minors is to be strengthened. Advertising would be banned in free newspapers, on the Internet and in strategic locations in sales outlets, for example next to sweets.

The allure of the forbidden

This is not enough for the initiators. They fear that a ban on sales to minors would be counterproductive because it could trigger the allure of the forbidden. Moreover, advertising is still possible in places where it can reach young people, they say. However, the initiative does not want to patronize young people. Rather, the ban on advertising is intended to enable them to make a conscious consumption decision in the first place. The Federal Chancellery has pre-examined the initiative "Children and young people without tobacco advertising" and published it in the Federal Gazette on Tuesday. The initiators have until September 20, 2019 to collect the 100,000 signatures required for the initiative to come to fruition. (SDA)

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