Other countries have gone further than Switzerland in their anti-tabacage struggle. Since Sunday, France has banned cigarettes on beaches, in parks and on the outskirts of schools and bus stops, while several countries, such as New Zealand or the United Kingdom, have launched initiatives in recent years to reach a tobacco-free generation.
>> Read also: In France, cigarettes is now prohibited at the beach and the park, but not on the terrace et A tobacco -free generation could save more than a million lives
Pioneer on the establishment of the neutral package, with among the most expensive cigarettes in the world, at nearly 25 francs the package, Australia is also often presented as a model country in the fight against smoking. The number of smokers within the population fell below 9%.
Reverse of the medal: The black market develops quickly. The share of illegal tobacco consumed in the country, sold two to four times cheaper than official prices, now borders on 30%.
>> Listen to the explanations of the morning:
Australian error
“While it was a model for us for many years, Australia made a mistake that surprised us a lot: its very conservative position compared to the electronic cigarette,” says Jacques Cornuz. “We know, however, that there are smokers who could not quit smoking and who, thanks to vaping, leave the cigarette market.”
Australia has indeed made access to vaping very difficult. Since last year, electronic cigarettes can only be sold by pharmacies and prescription. “For a smoker, everything is better than continuing to smoke,” said the director of Unisanté. “And if it goes to vaping, there is only nicotine. However, nicotine does not create cancers, heart disease or pulmonary diseases.”
Principle of prevention and precautionary principle
If he encourages smokers to switch to electronic cigarettes, this recommendation does not however concern non-smokers and especially not adolescents. For Jacques Cornuz, we must distinguish “two different principles in two very different contexts”. It is for smokers of the “prevention principle”. “To prevent diseases in smokers, everything is better than cigarettes,” he says.
For young people, on the other hand, it is the “precautionary principle”. “You really have to prevent them from getting into vaping, because they could be dependent on nicotine or even go to cigarettes,” continues the professor.
According to him, the authorities have understood this distinction well, “since it was decided at the level of the Parliament to ban the famous puff, this disposable electronic cigarette that we speak of in teens”. “Valais has had the courage to do so too and other cantons are going in this direction, so I think it is the realization of these two principles,” he concludes.
>> Read also: Single-use cigarettes, or “puffs”, will be prohibited in Switzerland
