Dossier #3

Facts & Fictions

Myth: Advertising has no effect on the behaviour of young people when it comes to tobacco and nicotine product consumption.

Reality: According to an extensive meta-analysis¹, a person exposed to content promoting the consumption of tobacco is at twice the risk of becoming a tobacco consumer.

The ‘Tobacco-Free Children’ initiative², which has been approved by the Swiss electorate, calls for a ban on “all forms of advertising of tobacco products to which children and adolescents may be exposed”. Its enactment into law in summer 2024 could be an important step towards fulfilling the aspirations of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which demands “a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship”.^3,4

1. Donaldson S., et al., JAMA pediatr., 2022.

2. https://www.enfantssanstabac.ch/

3. World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/42812/9242591017.pdf).

4. World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Guidelines for implementation of Article 13 (https://fctc.who.int/docs/librariesprovider12/default-document-library/who-fctc-article-5.3.pdf?sfvrsn=a52de22a_16&download=true).

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Myth: Young people readily identify with advertising...

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Myth: Tobacco advertising to young people is subject to...

When it comes to regulating the advertising of tobacco products, Switzerland has the laxest legislation in Europe. According to the Tobacco Control Scale, which publishes a two-yearly comparative survey of the anti-tobacco-consumption policies of the various countries in the World Health Organization’s Europe Region, Switzerland came last (i.e. 36^th out of 37 countries assessed) in 2021.

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Dossier #1

Cigarette butts are nothing but tobacco and paper, so you can throw them away in the street or the countryside with a clear conscience

Industrial cigarettes contain a filter made from cellulose acetate, which forms the "butt" once the cigarette has been smoked. This plastic is absolutely not biodegradable!