Swiss Bans E-cigarette and Nicotine Advertising to Youth

According to the Swiss media outlet horizont, the Swiss Competition Commission has banned commercial advertising for e-cigarettes and nicotine products aimed at minors from July 1st. This includes the popular product Snus (a form of oral tobacco). This decision comes ahead of the new tobacco product act, which is scheduled to take effect at the beginning of 2024.

According to reports, in May of this year, the Swiss Competition Commission decided at a plenary session to expand the relevant provisions to include e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products.

Guideline D.7 now explicitly prohibits all commercial advertising of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine products and alcoholic beverages aimed specifically at minors under 18 years of age. This includes advertising in areas where youth congregate, youth-oriented media, sports and events primarily attended by minors, as well as promotional campaigns and tours.

The Fair Competition Commission expects market participants to comply with the new regulations in order to protect minors as soon as possible," the commission stated on Tuesday evening.

According to the international study "Health Behavior in School-aged Children" (HBSC), e-cigarette consumption is most common among 15-year-old teenagers in Switzerland, accounting for 21%. The trendy snus accounts for 7.3%. Although the percentages may seem small, they have doubled compared to 2018.

Reference:

The Fairness Commission expands youth protection to include e-cigarettes and snuff.