Is Switzerland preparing to butt out?

Smoking in public could soon be a thing of the past in Switzerland Keystone

A broad coalition, which includes three of the four parties represented in the government, has come out in favour of a sweeping ban on smoking.

The proposed amendment to Switzerland’s Employment Act would ban smoking in the workplace, including restaurants and bars, to protect employees from second-hand smoke.

Exceptions would be made for family-run businesses, and establishments would still be allowed to set up separate, well-ventilated smoking rooms, or fumoirs.

The parties and interest groups expressed their views on the draft amendment on Monday, bringing to an end a four-month period of consultation.

The centre-right parties, the Radicals and Christian Democrats, applauded the proposal; with the Radicals saying it was moving Switzerland in the “right direction”.

The centre-left Social Democrats are also backing the amendment because, as the party said, numerous studies have shown that passive smoke is a health risk.

Only the Swiss People’s Party opposes the move, saying the Employment Act already obliges employers to protect non-smoking staff from second-hand smoke. If the amendment goes ahead, it warned, restaurants and bars would suffer a drop in sales.

The People’s Party is joined by the main business lobby representing small companies as well as the hospitality industry.

The Swiss Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Swiss Hotel Association, Hotelleriesuisse, said such action should be left up to each establishment to decide on an individual basis.

Not enforceable

GastroSuisse, which represents restaurants, bars and small hotels, and the Swiss Tourism Federation, both said they were in favour of an anti-smoking law, but were against amending the Employment Act.

GastroSuisse said it would not be enforceable because customers would not be subject to the law, and therefore could not be asked to butt out.

It is now up to the government to finalise a draft law, which it will submit to parliament. If parliament approves, opponents would have the right to challenge the amendment in a referendum.

Long-term study

In November, the results of a long-term study were published showing for the first time the risks of passive smoking on healthy adult non-smokers.

The first stage of the Swiss Study on Air Pollution and Lung Diseases in Adults was launched in 1991, with a follow-up in 2002.

It found that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is more likely to affect so-called never-smokers with a genetic predisposition to respiratory disease.

The study constitutes a first in that it focused on healthy adults over a long period.

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

According to a government report, around 400 people in Switzerland die every year from the effects of second-hand smoke.
This costs the economy about SFr500 million a year.
About 30% of the Swiss population smoke, according to 2005 figures.

In brief

Various cantons have already introduced measures to reduce or ban smoking in public places.

The people in canton Ticino voted overwhelmingly to introduce a smoking ban in March, 2006.

They were followed by voters in canton Solothurn in November.

Smoking has been forbidden on the entire Swiss public transport network since December, 2005.