Tobacco legislation in Switzerland

It covers protection of the population against passive smoking, restrictions on tobacco advertising, warnings on packaging and taxes.

Switzerland is one of the few European countries (along with Monaco and Liechtenstein) not to have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

[11] A new version of the bill, proposed in December 2017, dropped the bans on cinema, poster and press advertising.

It failed to enable Switzerland to achieve its goal of ratifying the WHO Framework Convention,[12][13] and was deemed clearly insufficient by Swiss prevention circles, who campaigned for a total ban on advertising and sponsorship of public or private events.

[15] The Swiss federal popular initiative "Tobacco-Free Children" [de; fr] was launched in March 2018 to propose a slightly more ambitious law to control advertising.

[16][17] In October 2021, the Federal Assembly passed a federal law on tobacco products and electronic cigarettes (Tobacco Products Act, LPTab; fr: Loi fédérale sur les produits du tabac et les cigarettes électroniques; de: Bundesgesetz über Tabakprodukte und elektronische Zigaretten; it: legge federale sui prodotti del tabacco e le sigarette elettroniche).

[1][2] A federal parliamentary initiative was launched in 2006 by National Councillor Felix Gutzwiller to strengthen protection against passive smoking in public places.

It proposed amending the Labor Act to establish the principle that workers should be able to carry out their activities without being exposed to passive smoke.

A new initiative to strengthen this ban was rejected on 23 September 2012, including by the cantons that had overwhelmingly approved the imposition of additional restrictions at home.

[25] Tobacco product advertising is banned on radio and television (Article 10 of the Federal Law on Radio and Television),[26] but remains authorized in newspapers and magazines, on billboards, in cinemas, on articles of daily consumption and at points of sale, as well as direct promotion and direct mailings aimed at adults.

Under this proposal, advertising in cinemas, on everyday consumer goods, at points of sale and by direct mail to adults would remain authorized.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has been ratified by 181 countries, but not yet by Switzerland.
Cantonal smoking bans in restaurants [ 20 ]
Smokehouses without service authorized (smoking establishments prohibited)
Smoking rooms with authorized service (smoking prohibited)
Smoking establishments (up to 80 m2) authorized
Sponsorship of the Montreux Jazz Festival by British American Tobacco in 2012.
Tobacco shop in Neuchâtel : advertising allowed inside the store.