Switzerland Solothurn Canton Bans Disposable Vape Sales

Switzerland Solothurn Disposable Vape Ban

The Swiss canton of Solothurn has decided to ban the sale of single-use e-cigarettes (disposable vapes), joining other cantons like Valais, Jura, and Bern in taking action against these products. The Cantonal Council cited two primary reasons for the ban: environmental concerns due to improper disposal of the devices with their lithium-ion batteries, and the need to protect young people from what they termed a “quickly addictive entry-level product” with appealing sweet flavors.

During the debate, Green Party member Rebekka Matter-Linder stated, “A ban is needed as quickly as possible. The growing generation should not even get a taste for it.” The majority agreed that disposable vapes pose a risk with unforeseeable health consequences for youth.

However, Tobias Schneider, owner of an online vape shop, criticized the youth protection argument as “hypocritical.” He pointed out that a new national Tobacco Products Act, effective since October 2024, already prohibits vape sales to under-18s. Furthermore, reusable, refillable e-cigarettes, which can look very similar to disposables and are comparably priced (even cheaper long-term with refill pods), remain legal. “I don’t see how the sales ban on disposable vapes has anything to do with youth protection,” Schneider said, suggesting that underage users would simply switch to reusable systems.

Schneider noted that since the national law introduced a tax of one Swiss franc per milliliter on e-liquid and limited disposable vape e-liquid capacity to 2ml, sales of disposables at his shop have already dropped by 33%, with a clear trend towards reusable systems. While not fundamentally opposed to a disposable ban due to their poor ecological footprint, Schneider believes the focus should be on stricter enforcement of the existing age sales ban, particularly for online retailers through payment provider age checks. He also suggested that revenue from the e-liquid tax should fund prevention measures.

The Solothurn Lung League welcomed the cantonal ban, with Christophe Gut, Head of Health Promotion and Prevention, stating it sends a signal to Bern for a national sales ban, arguing that fewer available products lead to less consumption. He views the cantonal ban as a statement that these products are harmful to health and the environment.

Matthew Ma
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