Swiss healthcare professionals are urging the government to ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) without delay. Their concerns come at a pivotal moment: the 11th Meeting of the Parties (COP11) is taking place in Geneva in November 2025, yet Switzerland remains one of the few countries that has not ratified the treaty even after more than two decades.
In an open letter signed by 116 experts, AT Schweiz calls for immediate action to protect future generations from tobacco and nicotine products. They highlight the alarming prevalence of use among young adults—45 % of 18- to 24-year-olds already use such products—and emphasize the rise of e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products in the Swiss market.
Switzerland introduced its new Tobacco Products Act on 1 October 2024, finally creating a legal framework that had been missing for decades. Until this law entered into force, Switzerland did not even have a nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to minors under 18. Despite this long-awaited progress, the law remains very weak and falls far short of international standards. Switzerland traditionally requires a national implementation law to be in place before ratifying an international convention. Now that such a law exists, there is no remaining justification for further delay: this is the moment for Switzerland to ratify the FCTC.
The letter urges the Swiss Federal Council and Parliament to (1) recognise the urgency of reducing tobacco use, (2) ratify the FCTC, and (3) implement the treaty’s recommended measures—especially with a focus on youth protection.
By ratifying the FCTC, Switzerland would not only fulfil its obligations under the UN Agenda 2030, but also signal its commitment to health, social justice, and international responsibility.
The letter is available here (only German, French and Italian): https://www.at-schweiz.ch/de/news-medien/news/mm-offener-brief-fctc/
Author:
Luciano Ruggia, Director, Swiss Association for Tobacco Control