Swiss Vaping Industry Players Agree to Ban Sales to Minors

Producers and retailers of electronic cigarette products in Switzerland have voluntarily agreed to stop selling e-cigs to minors even if no law exists in the country banning such sales. The code of conduct agreed to by a consortium of large retailers and e-cig makers took effect on October 1, 2018. This decision was welcomed by the regulator (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office) under whose docket the electronic cigarette industry lies. Laws are currently being drafted to regulate the electronic cigarette industry on various aspects, such as who should or shouldn’t be allowed to buy the products. The voluntary ban comes after the Federal Administrative Court in Switzerland overturned the government ban of e-cig sales in the country. The court argued that those products are allowed in the EU, so the government had no right to ban them in an EU member state. The court’s ruling was issued in April. It remains to be seen what specific measures the electronic cigarette manufacturers and retailers will enforce in order to prevent teens from buying their products.