In Switzerland, as the Council of States had initially done, the National Council voted this morning to refer the bill on tobacco products (LPTab). As a reminder, this project indiscriminately equated vaping products with smoking, adopting the same restrictions for users, sellers and producers as those that were to be adopted for cigarettes.
THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE TO PROPOSE A NEW PROJECT
By 101 votes to 75 and 14 abstentions, the People's Chamber decided today to postpone the bill proposed by the administration. The referral of this project is final since the two chambers voted for it. At present, the administration (the FOPH) will have to redo a bill on behalf of the Federal Council, taking into account three points underlined by the Council of States. It is therefore a question of relaxing the rules on advertising that were originally planned, to give a differentiated status to vaping as an alternative product with reduced risks as well as to Snus, which was simply banned by the project.
HELVETIC VAPE REPORTS AND REQUESTS IMMEDIATE REGULATION OF VAPOTAGE
PRESS RELEASE - Lausanne, 8 December 2016
Following the referral of the Tobacco Products Bill (LPTab) by the National Council, the Helvetic Vape Users' Association calls for the immediate regulation of vaping products under the Law on Foodstuffs and Household Goods. .
The net referral by 101 votes against 75 and 14 abstentions paves the way for the rapid regulation of nicotine-containing vaping products under the Food and Commodities Act (LDAl). The determination of the executive and the federal administration to maintain since 10 years vaping products without specific regulations under the LDAl, apart from an unjustified administrative prohibition of sale and decided unilaterally to serve its interests, was beaten undermined by Parliament. Mr. Berset's and his administration's strategy of artificially blocking low-risk products to force the hand of Parliament did not work. This LPTab project for the assimilation of vaping products being buried, nothing really stands in the way of a fast and pragmatic regulation of vaping products.
Helvetic vape is requesting that vaping products be immediately regulated under the LDAl orders that are currently being revised. The regulatory proposal made by the association in the context of the LARGO hearing procedure must imperatively be taken into account by the executive without delay. An amendment to the ordinance on foodstuffs and everyday objects (ODAlOUs) or the creation of a specific ordinance for vaping products are options that can be implemented immediately. There is no obstacle to this in the LDAl. In addition, international standards (CEN and ISO) for vaping products are being developed. These standards will effectively complement a moderate regulation of vaping products.
At the same time, the association is calling for a new project, broader than just a law on tobacco products, to come into being. A project based on the National Strategy for the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases and the National Addictions Strategy. A project that takes into account all substances and their consumption patterns and the principle of harm and risk reduction. It is regrettable to note that the LPTab project provoked mainly debates on advertising. The real question that must be at the center of all thinking is combustion, since it is the problem that causes noncommunicable diseases, premature deaths and generates a huge cost for society.
Source / Photo Credit : ticinonews.ch / Philippe Poirson / Helvetic Vape
