May 31st is World No Tobacco Day. This day serves as a reminder that tobacco consumption still claims millions of lives each year, and that politics must continue to act.
The cigarette industry likes to present itself as a health actor by offering smokers alternative, much less harmful products. However, studies show that new products usually only enter the market where youth and adult cigarette consumption is already declining. It seems the industry aims to prevent customers from quitting, keeping them trapped in nicotine addiction. Addiction is a very lucrative business model. Furthermore, it remains unclear to what extent most new products are truly less harmful.
Candyfication: Nicotine Products Like Sweets
While not many cigarette smokers in Switzerland entirely switch to other products, the majority of young people today start nicotine consumption with new products. The most frequently stated reason by young people for consuming these new products is 'the pleasant taste.' The industry is aware of this, and today all nicotine products are available with fruity aromas, some even with sweeteners, clearly targeting the youth. Politics must put a stop to these youth lures.
The Industry Fights for Youth Consumption Initiation
Although the national parliament passed a ban on particularly popular disposable e-cigarettes among youth a year ago, years will pass before it is implemented. Not without reason, tobacco companies are appealing against the faster bans imposed in some cantons (although not directly affected): This allows several more generations of young people to be drawn into nicotine addiction. They are the future clientele of the companies. Many consumers eventually switch to tobacco products after initiation or consume multiple products simultaneously; only a minority remains exclusively with the entry product, as suggested by the findings of the 'Health and Lifestyle' survey.
Politics Must Now Protect the Youth!
To protect the youth, politics must urgently act:
- The law to ban disposable e-cigarettes at the federal level must now be quickly
drawn up and enforced.
- Ban on fruity and sweet aromas in all products
- Increase in taxes on all nicotine products, as young people are highly price-sensitive.