Initiative «No tobacco ads for children and young adults»

1. Geneva✓ Yes majority, Yes share 74.8%, Turnout 41%
2. Vaud✓ Yes majority, Yes share 67.2%, Turnout 43%
3. Jura✓ Yes majority, Yes share 66.2%, Turnout 36%
4. Basel-Stadt ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 64.6%, Turnout 49%
5. Fribourg✓ Yes majority, Yes share 63.1%, Turnout 39%
6. Neuchâtel✓ Yes majority, Yes share 61.5%, Turnout 39%
7. Zurich✓ Yes majority, Yes share 59.9%, Turnout 48%
8. Bern✓ Yes majority, Yes share 58.4%, Turnout 45%
9. Ticino✓ Yes majority, Yes share 57.8%, Turnout 44%
10. Valais✓ Yes majority, Yes share 56.6%, Turnout 42%
11. Schaffhausen✓ Yes majority, Yes share 55.3%, Turnout 66%
12. Basel-Landschaft ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 53.9%, Turnout 44%
13. Graubünden✓ Yes majority, Yes share 52.1%, Turnout 40%
14. Glarus✓ Yes majority, Yes share 50.8%, Turnout 44%
15. Solothurn✓ Yes majority, Yes share 50.5%, Turnout 42%
16. Aargau✓ Yes majority, Yes share 50.1%, Turnout 42%
17. Appenzell Ausserrhoden ½✗ No majority, Yes share 48.4%, Turnout 46%
18. St. Gallen✗ No majority, Yes share 47.2%, Turnout 43%
19. Lucerne✗ No majority, Yes share 47.1%, Turnout 46%
20. Thurgau✗ No majority, Yes share 47.0%, Turnout 42%
21. Zug✗ No majority, Yes share 46.7%, Turnout 51%
22. Nidwalden ½✗ No majority, Yes share 42.1%, Turnout 48%
23. Appenzell Innerrhoden ½✗ No majority, Yes share 41.9%, Turnout 40%
24. Obwalden ½✗ No majority, Yes share 41.5%, Turnout 47%
25. Uri✗ No majority, Yes share 41.3%, Turnout 38%
26. Schwyz✗ No majority, Yes share 39.7%, Turnout 48%

✓ Yes majority · ✗ No majority · Turnout %
½ half canton: counts half towards the majority of the cantons.

Sources: Federal Statistical Office (FSO); older votes: Swissvotes, Année Politique Suisse, University of Bern; map base: FSO, GEOSTAT

Cantons by their majority language: Fribourg and Valais count as French-speaking, Bern and Graubünden as German-speaking.

Yes or no?

What exactly is it about?

In Switzerland, tobacco products may be advertised with restrictions. Tobacco advertising on radio and television is banned, as is advertising aimed specifically at minors. A majority of the cantons have introduced wider bans, for example on posters and cinema advertising. One in four people in Switzerland smokes, and about half of today’s smokers smoked daily before the age of 18. The popular initiative “Yes to protecting children and young people from tobacco advertising (Children and young people without tobacco advertising)” wants to ban tobacco advertising wherever children and young people can see it, for example in the press, on posters, on the internet, in cinemas, at kiosks or at events. The same rules apply to electronic cigarettes. Advertising that is aimed only at adults or is placed where minors have no access remains allowed. In addition, the Confederation and the cantons must promote the health of children and young people. Parliament sets the new Tobacco Products Act against the initiative as an indirect counter-proposal. It bans advertising on posters and in cinemas, free distribution of cigarettes and sponsorship of international events. The act can come into force regardless of the result of the vote. The initiative needs a majority of voters and a majority of cantons.

What is disputed?

The initiative committee recommends a yes. It argues that tobacco advertising demonstrably has a strong influence on minors and that most smokers start before the age of 18. In the committee’s view, the counter-proposal still allows advertising that reaches young people, for example in free newspapers, on the internet and at festivals. It points to 9,500 deaths a year and costs of at least 5 billion francs caused by smoking. The Federal Council and Parliament recommend a no. They argue that the initiative’s far-reaching advertising ban is too strong an interference with economic freedom and could cost cultural and sports events revenue. In their view, the counter-proposal strengthens the protection of young people, among other things with an advertising ban on posters, in cinemas and at sports events and a ban on sales to under-18s. It also takes the concerns of business into account, and the cantons can introduce stricter rules.

Party recommendations