Quand le Parlement suisse va à l’encontre de la cigarette électronique

Introduction


On Tuesday, August the 13th, 2019, the Council of States' Social Security and Public Health Committee (CSSS-E) voted on the 2nd bill on Tobacco Products and E-Cigarettes (LPTab). Their position could have very serious consequences !

Here are the CSSS-E's key recommendations, their consequences and Sweetch's position.

Presentation


The Parliament sent a press release on the CSSS-E's position concerning the new LPTab.
After four working sessions, the Commission approved the text, thus validating two main objectives : the protection of minors and the minimum requirements for Switzerland to ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

But here are the three proposals the Commission is submitting to the vote of its Council during the autumn session :

  1. A ban on the delivery of tobacco products and e-cigarettes to minors throughout the country.
  2. A total ban on advertising, regardless of media coverage.
  3. The rejection of separate regulations concerning second-hand smoke, therefore e-cigarettes should be banned in public non-smoking areas.

Sweetch explanations and position :


First issue

Let’s be clear, we strongly support the 1st issue, especially since the industry has already self-regulated on the subject during the summer of 2018 by establishing a code of conduct. By this code of conduct, retailers agree not to sell vaping products to minors.

Quand le Parlement suisse va à l’encontre de la cigarette électronique

Second issue

Regarding this issue, what a surprise when we discovered that the CSSS-E now wants to ban all forms of advertising !

Let’s remember that in 2016, the same Commission voted in favour of maintaining advertising in the LPTab (ndlr : for economic reasons apparently). This had even led Mr. Berset to review his copy and propose a second project. And now it proposes instead to "ban it all together" ?

Of course, it’s essential not to advertise to minors, obviously, but extending it in a "general way" would seem counterproductive. It’s important that cigarette smokers are informed of the existence of products that are potential significantly less risky health-wise. And this also on internet, through documented and quality publications. In the interest of public health !

Third issue

As for the third proposal to reject separate regulations for e-cigarettes concerning second-hand smoke, we’re simply shocked !

The Federal Council itself has expressed the hope that e-cigarettes should be regulated in a specific way.
And now ? The CSSS-E wants to send back vapers who have managed to quit tobacco in carcinogenic smoking areas ?

But above all, what about vapeshops tests ? It’s essential that the smoker is advised, and therefore that he can test his equipment, fluids and nicotine levels in order to successfully quit smoking. This will determine the success of his plan to quit smoking with e-cigarettes.

Have our politicians been manipulated by recent alarmist newspaper headlines, rather than taking the opportunity to highlight a product that is now recognized as less harmful. In particular, the most effective method to quit smoking ?

Millions of people have already experienced it and dozens of scientific studies prove it.

Ladies and gentlemen, we insist that e-cigarettes should be seen as a means of smoking cessation, not as a potential new tax cash cow !

Quand le Parlement suisse va à l’encontre de la cigarette électronique

Conclusion


The CSSS-E has now ruled on the second bill on tobacco products and e-cigarettes. However, the proposals made for the autumn session are largely against vaping, even though e-cigarettes are now recognized as an excellent help to stop smoking and far less harmful than cigarette. From our point of view, it's absolutely shameful !

Last but not least, if you too want to support the future of vaping, you can still sign the online petition here: http://chng.it/yZ2WCpDg.

Thank you for reading.

The Sweetch team