Public health has taken over the tobacco industry in Switzerland. The electorate gave the green light at the ballot box on Sunday February 13to ban tobacco advertising accessible to children and adolescents, according to the first official results. Final results are expected by early evening.
The Federal Chancellery gives the yes winning at 54%, as well as the majority of the cantons, both of which are necessary for the popular initiative to be approved. “We are extremely happy. The people have nevertheless understood that health is more important than economic interests”told Agence France-Presse (AFP) Stefanie de Borba, from The League Against Cancer.
The text popular initiative called “Yes to the protection of children and young people against tobacco advertising” provides for the prohibition of all tobacco advertising where children or adolescents can see it, for example in the press, on posters or on Internet, at the cinema or at events. The same rules should apply to electronic cigarettes. Advertising that only targets adults, for example in e-mails, will continue to be permitted.
Legislation so far very permissive
Switzerland, where approximately one in four people smoke, had until now very permissive legislation in the field of tobacco advertising, in particular because of very strong lobbying by the world’s largest tobacco companies, which have set up their headquarters there. . At the national level, only advertisements on radio and television and those that specifically target minors are currently banned.
And even if some cantons had already tightened their rules anda new law was due to come into force in 2023tobacco control groups felt much more decisive action was needed to protect young people and launched a grassroots initiative.
Opponents, including the federal government and parliament, felt the initiative went too far. “This means that virtually all advertising is prohibited, including for adults. In the name of protecting children, we infantilize adults., launched Patrick Eperon, spokesperson for the no campaign and member of the organization Center patronal, during an interview with AFP. This was also the argument of Philip Morris International (PMI), the world leader in the sector, which, like British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco, has its headquarters in Switzerland.
Switzerland pays a heavy price for smoking, which causes 9,500 deaths a year, for a population of 8.6 million. Added to this are 400,000 people suffering from a chronic illness linked to smoking, according to Dr. Jean-Paul Humair, spokesperson for the popular initiative.
Refusal to ban animal testing
The Swiss were also invited on Sunday to vote on a popular initiative against animal testing. Also according to initial results, they refused to ban animal and human testing, almost 80%. No party supported the ban, which the government says would have had serious consequences for health as well as for the economy, in a country where the chemical and pharmaceutical sector accounts for just over half exports.
According to the authorities, Swiss legislation is one of the strictest in terms of animal testing, including a ban on testing for cosmetic products. Finally, in another referendum at the federal level, the Swiss should, according to the first known results, reject by more than 56% a law which provides for additional support measures in favor of the media, due to the fall in advertising revenues.