[Culturechat] CH Smoking

[Vance Roy]

Many CH Idyllers have commented on the number and age of CH smokers.
This is apparent to all of us, especially the number of young women who
smoke as a "fashion statement".

It looks like the government has noticed too. A campaign has been
started by the Federal Council to target young smokers. The tobacco
epidemic, as it has been called by the department of health, leaves only
Hungary and Greece with more smokers in Europe than CH. The Swiss spend
nearly 5 billion CHF per year in anti-smoking measures. They plan to
increase this to 10 billion by 2005.

A tax of 57 % will be placed on tobacco products. This is the level
recommended by the EU, but the Swiss tax is now only 52 %. This would
increase the cost by between a half and three quarters of a CHF.
Limitations on retail outlets, advertising, and age of legal purchase
will also be enacted. Those under the age 16 would be prohibited from
buying tobacco products.

Even if you are a smoker, I do not believe that anyone in this day and
age would encourage a young person to begin.
-- 
Vance C. Roy
gigli.saw@dplanet.ch