Europeans In Favour Of Tobacco Ads

The question of tobacco advertising has been put directly to the people for the first time. On Sunday 28 November Switzerland held a national referendum on whether to ban tobacco and alcohol advertising; 75% of voters rejected the proposal.

Of those countries where a ban already exists on tobacco advertising, France, Portugal and Italy, France is considering amending its legislation and in Italy and Portugal overall tobacco consumption has risen since the ban.

Frank Rogers, Chairman of the European Publishers Council, said, “The Swiss referendum proves what we have been saying all along, and that is that neither European citizens nor European industries favour a “Nanny State” which hinders freedom of trade and communication and freedom of personal liberties.” He added, “The European Commission is allowing social pressures to take precedence over economic arguments of free trade and over the democratic voice of Europe’s Citizens.”