Swiss Tobacco Initiative: Protecting youth from tobacco advertising

In light of the Swiss initiative on tobacco advertising, this blog looks at the tobacco industry's deliberate marketing strategies to hook a new generation on their products.

Today there are more than 100,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 19 in Switzerland who smoke. Since 2014, the percentages have remained remarkably static with approximately 8.7% for 15-year-olds smoking at least once per week and 5.6% of boys and 3.5% of girls smoking daily.

The tobacco industry is fully aware of a young person’s susceptibility to smoking, and it is in their interests to market to the young a product which they know could kill them in due course but, whilst they are alive and addicted, bring them financial rewards. In addition to traditional paper and poster advertising, the tobacco industry has invested heavily in all new forms of advertising by using social media influencers with some celebrities and online events benefitting from generous sponsorship deals.

For decades the marketing tactics of the tobacco industry were left unchecked. As more became known about the harmful consequences of smoking, however, the global health community secured support from countries around the world to implement controls which made the marketing and advertising of tobacco more difficult and, in some cases, illegal. 

The Swiss Government, as a signatory to the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, signalled its intent to reduce the prevalence of smoking in the country in 2004 but progress in tobacco control has been slow in part due to the tobacco industry in Switzerland exerting significant influence over policy in recent years. Each year the industry spends globally USD 9 billion (CHF 8.3 billion) to replace the eight million people that its products kill with a new, young generation of addicted users and Switzerland is not immune to this strategy.

On 13 February, the people of Switzerland have the opportunity to protect their children and future generations from an industry that preys on the susceptibility of young people by encouraging them to become lifetime smokers. A vote of 'Yes' on the initiative "Children without tobacco" will help protect children and young adults from starting to smoke.

Access to young people has never been easier for them with the advent of social media, which takes the messages of the tobacco industry unchecked to the young through their smartphones and on their personal computers. By voting 'Yes' to protect children against tobacco advertising, the people of Switzerland will be making it clear to the tobacco industry that this nation will no longer tolerate the marketing of lethal products to its children through any medium.

Some argue that the proposed legislation goes too far. Most of these opponents consider the economic welfare of the Swiss tobacco industry (one of the largest in the world) to be of greater importance than the health of its people.

For a country that has such a family-centric approach to life and which prides itself in living and eating well and pursuing healthy physical activities, it is important that we are consistent and seek to protect our children from the misleading information and enticing marketing actions from a sector which has zero regards for the life of a human being.

As two cancer organisations that care passionately about reducing the cancer burden and protecting the innocent from those who wish to place their life in danger, we encourage all Swiss citizens to vote “Yes to protect children against tobacco advertising” and in so doing, give our children the chance to live a life without nicotine addiction and its consequences for their health.