The Swiss accepted this Sunday, through a consultation, ban tobacco advertising on sites accessible to children and adolescents.
According to the Federal Chancellery, the result is endorsed by a majority of 16 cantons out of 26, and almost 57% of the votes.
“We are extremely happy,” Stefanie De Borba of the Swiss League Against Cancer told AFP at the publication of these first results. “People understood that health is more important than economic interests”he added.
Smoking provides an “illusion of freedom,” said Dr. Jean-Paul Humair, spokesman for “Yes.”
“We realized the importance of protecting children and adolescents against smoking, and that advertising is a very important tool to attract new consumers,” he told AFP.
This alpine country, where about one in four people is a smoker, until now had very permissive legislation regarding the field of tobacco advertisingespecially thanks to the strong lobby of the world’s largest tobacco companies, which have their headquarters there.
On a national scale, until now only radio and television advertisements and specific ones directed at minors were prohibited.
And, despite the fact that some cantons had already toughened their regulations and a new law in this regard will come into force in 2023, anti-smoking groups called for more decisive measures to protect children and young people, which is why they launched this popular initiative.
Prohibition on posters, press and cinema
Thus, a total ban on tobacco advertising was imposed on sites to which children and adolescents have access, that is, in the press, on posters, the Internet, the cinema and during demonstrations.. These same rules apply to the electronic cigarette. Advertising directed only at adults, through emails, for example, will be allowed.
Opponents of the initiative, including the federal government and parliament, they think it goes too far.
“In the name of protecting children, adults are infantilized”complained Patrick Eperon, a spokesman for the “No” campaign and a member of the Employers’ Center organization.
The same argument of Philip Morris International (PMI), a global giant in the sector, which like British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco has its headquarters in Switzerland, and financially supported the “No” campaign.
“Individual freedom is on a slippery slope,” a PMI spokesman told AFP on Sunday, urging authorities to ensure that advertising aimed at adults continues to be allowed.
Likewise, the Swiss Minister of Health, Alain Berset, explained that the parliament will now draft a law to implement this initiative, which, however, would not come into force later this year.
Others have denounced the ‘hygienist’ tendencies that invade our societies.
“Today we talk about cigarettes, then it will be alcohol or meat. It irritates me to live in a society where this politically correct dictatorship is wanted, in which everything must be regulated, ”reacted this Sunday Philippe Bauer, a member of the Swiss Upper House (for the Liberal-Radical Party), in the studies of the public television channel RTS.
The country pays a high price for smoking, with 9,500 annual deaths linked to it out of a population of 8.6 million inhabitants.
primates without rights
What’s more, the helvetians refused to ban laboratory tests on animals and humanswith 79% of the wills.
For their part, those registered in the canton of Basel-city, highly reputed for its zoo, as well as for its pharmaceutical groups, with 75% of votes they rejected a proposal aimed at providing fundamental rights to non-human primates.
Three similar initiatives have already been rejected, in 1985 (70%), 1992 (56%) and 1993 (72%).
No party supported it since, according to the government, if approved it would have had serious economic and health consequences, in the confederation whose chemical-pharmaceutical sector represents more than half of its exports.
However, they claim that Swiss legislation is among the strictest in the world when it comes to animal testing.
At the federal level, the Swiss population also rejected by more than 55% a law that provides for additional support for the media, as a consequence of the drop in their advertising revenue. Participation on this Sunday was 44% of those eligible to vote. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
