Human rights violations by multinational tobacco companies

The fight against smoking is part of a broader effort to defend human rights, particularly the rights to health and a healthy environment, as well as children’s rights. Although the link between the tobacco industry and human rights violations is still little known, it is gaining importance in public debate. This new perspective helps strengthen the fight against the smoking epidemic, which is largely due to a very influential tobacco industry, especially in Switzerland.

In this report, we look at how the tobacco industry violates human rights. These violations include marketing strategies that deliberately target young people, as well as actions that hinder tobacco prevention policies in Switzerland and elsewhere. We also highlight Switzerland’s responsibility for failing to effectively protect the fundamental rights of its population. By refusing to implement ambitious prevention measures, the authorities too often prioritize the interests of multinational tobacco companies at the expense of public health.