The citizens of Switzerland voted in favor of a plan to toughen the country’s notoriously strict tobacco laws. They will ban almost all advertisements for these products. The campaign, which was opposed by the government and parliament, was backed by nearly 57% of voters and a majority of the country’s 26 cantons on Sunday.
At present, most tobacco advertising is legal at the national level – with the exception of TV and radio ads, as well as those that are directly aimed at minors. There are different regulations for public places, festivals and venues as well as public transport. A majority of the cantons let ads be printed in newspapers or posted online.
Only advertising that targets adults, like those found in magazines or targeted emails, can be allowed, according to the initiative. The federal government now has to draft legislation to revise the country’s Tobacco Products Law. Alain Berset from the Health Ministry said that it would be “impossible”These changes will be in force by the end of this year.
This victory was a significant milestone in the history of America. “big step forward”Gregoire Vittoz is the director of Addiction Switzerland NGO and spoke to Swiss TV station RTS about Switzerland’s fight against tobacco. He stated that voters had sent in a “clear message”Parliament about their wish to “protect children.”
According to public health statistics, around one fourth of Swiss are smokers. This is slightly more prevalent among the 15-24 age group, where nearly one-third of those in that age category smoke. Annually, there are approximately 9,500 deaths from tobacco-related causes.
The lax advertising laws are widely attributed to intense lobbying by the world’s largest tobacco firms, including Philip Morris International (PMI), British American Tobacco, and Japan Tobacco. Unnamed PMI representatives told the AFP the initiative was a “remarkable opportunity.” “slippery slope as far as individual freedom is concerned.”
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Legislators who opposed the initiative voiced similar concerns, asserting that it was too broad. Criticism of the “dictatorship of the politically correct”Regulating is a good idea. “everything,”Philippe Bauer (a right-wing politician of the Liberal Party) told RTS that similar laws would be taken against alcohol and other meats after the victory.
The initiative’s critics had proposed a less “radical”They claimed that an alternative would have achieved a balanced approach between economic and child protection. Berset acknowledged that they had not been able to achieve the balance between economic concerns and protecting children. “counter-proposal was not seen as sufficient.”
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