- 01.06.2026
- News
Ticino: Stronger Controls and Enhanced Enforcement to Protect Young People from Tobacco and Nicotine
On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on 31 May, the Government of the Canton of Ticino adopted a new Regulation on Protection Against Smoking, which will enter into force on 1 July 2026. The revision aligns cantonal legislation with the Federal Act on Tobacco Products and Electronic Cigarettes (TobPA) and strengthens monitoring and enforcement mechanisms designed to protect public health.
The new regulation applies to conventional tobacco products, heated tobacco products, electronic cigarettes with or without nicotine, herbal smoking products, and nicotine pouches. In doing so, the Ticino regulatory framework reflects the evolution of the market and the growing availability of new nicotine-containing products.
In recent years, Ticino has played a pioneering role in protecting the population from the harms associated with tobacco and nicotine products. Following the introduction of a smoking ban in enclosed public places in 2007 and a ban on sales to minors in 2013, the canton extended these restrictions in 2023 to electronic cigarettes and similar products.
The most significant change concerns the strengthening of controls to enforce the ban on sales to minors. Compliance checks using underage test purchasers, previously conducted mainly for prevention and educational purposes, will now be entrusted to the Cantonal Laboratory, which may also rely on third-party organisations to carry out these inspections. This change will allow the results of these checks to be used in enforcement and sanction procedures.
The Cantonal Laboratory will also assume responsibility for market surveillance and the implementation of measures provided for under federal legislation. The Cantonal Medical Office will continue its work in prevention, information and public awareness, while the Cantonal Health Office will be responsible for enforcing provisions related to advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco and nicotine products.
For AT Switzerland, the strengthening of compliance controls represents an important step forward. Scientific evidence shows that most nicotine addiction begins during adolescence. Restrictions on sales to minors are only effective when accompanied by regular compliance checks and robust enforcement of the law.
AT Switzerland welcomes the adoption of this new regulation and will continue to support measures aimed at reducing young people's access to tobacco and nicotine products, in line with public health objectives pursued at the cantonal, national and international levels.
Link: Comunicato stampa, Consiglio di Stato, 29 maggio 2026: https://www4.ti.ch/tich/area-media/comunicati/dettaglio-comunicato/?NEWS_ID=259622