No advertising ban for tobacco products
Parliament has referred the Federal Act on Tobacco Products back to the Federal Council. The National Council, too, is opposed to an advertising ban. It argues that the free market economy should take precedence over prevention.
By 101 votes to 75 with 14 abstentions, the upper chamber on Thursday followed the Council of States, which had rejected the bill in the summer session by 28 votes to 15. The majority of the SVP, FDP and CVP voted the bill down. The majority of the National Council's Health Committee, on the other hand, had called for the law to be discussed and, if necessary, amended, as Federal Councillor Berset had also demanded. However, he only received support from the left-wing camp. Now the Federal Council has to go back to the drawing board.
Protecting the tobacco industry
The government wants to defuse the problem of addiction with the Tobacco Products Act. Parliament is calling for a new bill that only includes undisputed elements of the current Tobacco Ordinance, such as the protection of children and young people. However, the National Council and Council of States want nothing to do with restrictions on advertising in cinemas or on posters, sales promotion and sponsorship. In particular, the reporting of advertising and marketing expenditure should also be dispensed with. National Councillors warned against an "attack on the free market economy". It had not been proven that general advertising bans caused a reduction in smoking. In addition, the Federal Council would gain too much power. It is also difficult to see why the same strict rules should apply to nicotine-containing e-cigarettes or snus tobacco as to conventional cigarettes, which are more harmful.
Undisputed points
The SP, Greens, BDP and GLP considered the draft law to be a useful basis for detailed consultation. The supporters stated that a law along the lines of the Federal Council's draft was a necessary prerequisite for the ratification of the WHO Tobacco Convention. The nationwide ban on the sale of cigarettes to minors is not controversial. A majority stated that they expressly welcomed this measure to protect children and young people. A legal basis must be created for test purchases. A majority also considers a ban on advertising aimed specifically at minors to be sensible. At the presentation of the proposals, Health Minister Berset said that advertising has a particularly strong influence on young people. According to a German study, the risk of young people starting to smoke increases by 46% if they are exposed to tobacco advertising.
Cantons are ahead of the Confederation
Today, there is a ban on tobacco advertising on radio and television. Tobacco advertising explicitly aimed at minors is also prohibited. A more far-reaching ban had already met with criticism during the consultation process. Nevertheless, the Federal Council stuck to its guns. Berset pointed out that Switzerland was going less far with the planned rules than most European countries. Some cantons also currently have stricter rules than the federal government. In 15 cantons, poster advertising for tobacco products is already banned. In ten cantons, cigarettes may not be sold to minors, and in a further twelve cantons the sales age is 16. Every year, over 5 million people worldwide die as a result of tobacco consumption. In Switzerland, this figure is around 9500. This makes tobacco consumption the most common preventable cause of death in Switzerland. (SDA)
