KS/CS also rejects new proposal for tobacco products law

KS/CS Kommunikation Schweiz remains committed to effective protection of minors and, in addition to the minimum age of 18 for the sale of tobacco products, also supports the ban on tobacco advertising directed specifically at minors, the umbrella organization said in a statement. However, the fact that this should also include a ban on advertising tobacco products in general in free newspapers and on the Internet is not considered to be expedient.

The benefit of such a ban would be disproportionate to the restriction of economic and advertising freedom. According to Wemf, for example, most of the print media affected would have a share of readers between the ages of 14 and 17 of well under ten percent. Even 20minuten Friday counts just 12 percent young people among its readership, writes the association. These figures also form the basis of Swiss Cigarette's self-regulation, which is monitored by the Swiss Fair Trading Commission. Since 2005, the three major Swiss cigarette manufacturers have committed themselves to directing their communications exclusively to adults.

According to KS/CS Communication Switzerland, the new proposal will be examined in detail and a statement will be made within the consultation period. However, the company is already considering "that new advertising bans in the already highly regulated market offer no guarantee that fewer people will take up smoking. (pd/hae)

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