Parliament pushes ahead with ban on tobacco advertising in print media

The Senate in Switzerland voted in favor of restricting tobacco advertising in print media. This followed approval of a people’s initiative in 2022 that banned tobacco advertisements that could reach minors. The right-wing party in the Senate would have liked to reduce the scope of several provisions, in particular that concerning newspaper advertising, which goes too far, according to parliamentarian Damian Müller. Advertising should have been allowed inside publications sold by subscription to adults in his view. But the Centre party clearly tipped the balance in favor of strict application of the initiative, which calls for tobacco advertising not to reach young people. “Children have access to the newspapers their parents subscribe to, that's a given,” said Marianne Maret from the Centre party. The advertising is aimed at future consumers, she added. + Why Switzerland has one of the strongest tobacco lobbies In Switzerland, tobacco causes some 10,000 deaths a year.