Protection of minors Stricter sales and advertising rules for tobacco products from October

From October 1, stricter sales, advertising and reporting regulations for tobacco products and electronic cigarettes will apply in Switzerland. The Federal Council has brought the new Tobacco Products Act into force on this date. Further tightening could follow.

The measures that will apply from October include a uniform nationwide ban on sales to young people under the age of 18 and stricter advertising restrictions, for example on posters, on public transport, in cinemas, in publicly accessible buildings such as train stations and airports and on sports grounds. Wherever there is already a smoking ban, this will now also apply to heated products and electronic cigarettes.

Sponsorship of events with an international character or for an underage audience is no longer permitted, as the Federal Council announced on Wednesday. There are also new pictorial warnings on tobacco packaging, for example.

Parliament is currently discussing further tightening of the Tobacco Products Act.