Tobacco products law fails with majority of parties
The second draft bill on tobacco products has also been rejected by the political parties. While the FDP and SVP still believe the advertising bans go too far, the Left feels that effective preventive measures are lacking.
The proposal is likely to have a difficult time in parliament. At the end of 2016, Health Minister Alain Berset had already failed with his first proposal for a Tobacco Products Act. This was due to the planned restrictions on advertising in cinemas or on posters, sales promotion and sponsorship. Members of parliament warned against an "attack on the free market economy" and "patronizing adults". As a result, the Federal Council revised the law and presented a second draft with the less controversial parts last December. The focus is on the protection of minors and a ban on sales to minors. In addition, the legal basis for carrying out test purchases will be created in order to check compliance with the ban.
The Federal Council has backed down on advertising bans. It wants to do without them in cinemas, on posters and in the paid press. However, tobacco products should not be advertised on the Internet or in free newspapers. A ban on advertising is also planned in sales outlets in certain places, for example in kiosks between sweets.
Spirit of paternalism
Despite these adjustments, the new draft is rejected by the conservative parties. For the SVP, it is still characterized by an "ideological spirit of paternalism". The party is particularly annoyed by the ban on advertising in free newspapers and on the Internet. The FDP has a similar argument. In their view, the planned advertising bans go too far. The party is particularly annoyed by the fact that the advertising ban applies to all sales outlets that are not explicitly and exclusively aimed at adults.
In principle, the CVP and the GLP agree with the slimmed-down draft bill. This has essentially incorporated the aspects of the parliament's rejection motion. Both parties also support the stricter regulation of advertising.
Big step backwards
The SP takes the Federal Council to task. The party complained that it had caved in to the tobacco lobby when the federal government announced its plans. The new draft takes insufficient or no account of prevention and the protection of young people. It is a "major step backwards" in the fight against the harmful consequences of tobacco consumption.
The Greens also criticize the ineffective measures. Only a general ban on advertising would be effective in protecting children. In the party's view, the promotion of cultural and sporting events by the tobacco lobby must also be banned.
Deception of the population
Criticism has also come from Swiss universities. The Swiss School of Public Health, which coordinates university education and research on public health, believes that the proposal is completely inappropriate from a scientific point of view. The draft law is a deception because it does not protect the population from the harmful effects of tobacco consumption. Instead, it would protect the tobacco industry and the economic sectors that depend on it. (SDA)
