The Swiss finally allow advertising for vaping

Vaping products divided the Swiss National Council on 8 December. The vote concerned a change to the law on advertising for those products. It was by the narrowest of margins that the members of the council decided to keep such advertising in the country.

A very close vote

The Swiss National Council met on 8 December, with a vote scheduled on whether to keep advertising for vaping products. The 200 members of the council were deeply divided on the question, so much so that authorisation was carried by the narrowest of margins.

Since the start of the year, the Swiss authorities have been pressing for vaping products to be treated on the same footing as tobacco. The subject is a divisive one, since staunch defenders of vaping are strongly opposed to it. A referendum was launched to counter this possible new measure, but only 5,005 signatures could be gathered, which was not enough to carry weight in the eyes of the authorities.

The other rules on the e-cigarette in Switzerland

A single vote settled the matter in favour of the pro-vaping camp, with 95 votes for and 94 against. It should be recalled that the commission was in favour of leaving each canton free to decide whether or not it supported advertising for electronic cigarettes. The decision therefore runs counter to its aims.

The council also came out in favour of selling e-cigarettes containing nicotine in the country. Vaping in a public place nevertheless remains forbidden, on pain of a fine.

A reprieve for Swiss vapers

Swiss vape retailers can breathe again and carry on advertising their products in their own country. This reprieve could be short-lived, however, with a vote on a ban due before long. Like many countries around the world, Switzerland could adopt stricter laws on the electronic cigarette, such as raising taxes, restricting advertising or even banning access to certain types of product.