Switzerland is set to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes nationwide after the Swiss Senate (Council of States) passed a motion on June 4th with a 19 to 11 vote. This decision follows the House of Representatives' validation of the same motion in 2024. While the People’s Party and most center-right Radical-Liberals opposed it, the ban will now proceed.
The Federal Council had initially opposed the motion, citing concerns about creating technical trade barriers and arguing Switzerland should not act unilaterally as the EU has no such ban. However, Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider accepted the parliamentary decision, acknowledging the problems posed by disposable vapes. She noted that alternative government proposals, like reducing tax breaks or setting higher tax rates for these products, would likely not have the same impact as an outright sales ban. This move aligns Switzerland with other European countries like France and the UK, and several Swiss cantons such as Valais and Jura, which have already implemented similar restrictions.
