Switzerland to Ban Tobacco and E-cigarette Ads from 2026

According to Swiss media outlet Blick, the Swiss government has made the decision to ban the advertisement of tobacco and electronic cigarette products beginning in 2026. Print publications and public spaces, such as points of sale and events, will no longer be able to display these ads. Tobacco companies will also be prohibited from sponsoring events accessible to minors.

The online tobacco advertising is only permitted if the age verification system ensures that minors cannot access web pages containing such ads. These age verification measures will also be applicable to products sold via the Internet or vending machines, according to proposed legal revisions already submitted to parliament.

In February 2022, Switzerland and its cantons passed the "Children and Youth Without Tobacco Advertising" initiative with a 57% vote in favor. The new law requires the prohibition of any tobacco advertising that may be accessible to children and teenagers.

The bill is facing scrutiny.

The decision by the Swiss government has sparked harsh criticism from the advertising and tobacco industries.

The Swiss People's Party and the Center also referred to such resolutions as "difficult to understand". They believe that it is not a topic that should be discussed and that Parliament has already rejected relevant proposals. However, the Swiss Center generally supports this proposal, and the left-leaning Green Party and health organizations welcome these suggestions.

Currently, tobacco advertising is prohibited on Swiss radio and television. However, according to food regulations, it is allowed on billboards and in cinemas, but some states have also banned these.

Switzerland is set to tighten regulations for the first time in 2024 when the Tobacco Products Act passed by Parliament in 2021 comes into effect. Starting in mid-2024, the advertising of e-cigarettes will be prohibited on billboards and cinemas across the country.

Smoking has caused many illnesses, with medical treatment costs reaching up to 3 billion Swiss francs annually. The Swiss government has taken measures to strengthen restrictions on tobacco advertising, aiming to reduce the smoking population and improve public health.

References:

The Bundesrat plans to ban advertising for tobacco and e-cigarettes from 2026 onwards.