Smoking and smoking rules in Switzerland

In recent years, governments around the world have pushed to add new rules and restrictions to where people can smoke, what they can smoke and whether they can buy cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco-related products. Here’s what you need to know about smoking in Switzerland, from statistical information on tobacco to the laws which govern the practice.

Smoking in Switzerland: Your questions answered

By global standards, Switzerland was relatively late in imposing restrictions on smoking tobacco. However, since the 2000s a wave of new legislation has added restrictions around cigarettes and cigars.

What percentage of the population smokes?

As of 2022, 24 percent of the population of Switzerland aged 15 years and over smokes. However, numbers have begun to drop, with rates of “heavy smoking” - 20 cigarettes or more per day - having halved in the last 30 years.

Men are statistically more likely to be smokers than women, with 27 percent of men and 20 percent of women smoking some form of tobacco product. Generally speaking, the younger you are, the less likely you are to be a smoker in Switzerland.

Where to buy tobacco in Switzerland

Tobacco, cigarettes and cigars can be bought in the vast majority of supermarkets in Switzerland with the notable exception of Migros, alongside kiosks, corner shops and convenience stores. Most shops will provide an extensive range of pre-rolled and loose tobacco goods, along with some select cigars and vaping items.

In addition, the larger Swiss cities feature specialist cigar and tobacco shops and fumoirs. Some of the most famous chains of cigar shops include Zigarren Dürr and Davidoff of Geneva.

Cost of tobacco in Switzerland

The cost of tobacco products in Switzerland varies significantly by brand, but generally, a pack of 20 cigarettes sell for between 6 and 10 francs. Loose tobacco can be purchased for anywhere between 20 and 90 francs, depending on the brand and size.

Switzerland also charges a special tax on tobacco products to try to discourage their use. This is set at 54 percent for cigarettes, 12 percent for other tobacco products and 6 percent for snus.

Labels on Swiss cigarettes and tobacco

Like other countries around the world, since 2010 Switzerland has required that tobacco packaging include information and health warnings. These are meant to cover 48 percent of the front and 63 percent of the back of all cigarette packages. 

These warnings, usually in German, French and Italian, detail the serious health consequences cigarettes have for the smoker and the people around them - official government data suggest tobacco causes 9.500 deaths a year in Switzerland. Tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide information is also listed on the side of cigarette packages.

Swiss smoking laws

In the past, Switzerland was very relaxed when it comes to enforcing rules around smoking. However, this has started to change in recent years following several successful referendums. Here are the smoking laws which are enforced across Switzerland:

What is the legal smoking age?

As of October 2024, the legal age to buy cigarettes in Switzerland is 18 years old. This also includes snuff, snus, e-cigarettes (vapes), heated tobacco and other tobacco-linked products.

Prior to 2024, each Swiss canton was free to decide the legal smoking age. In 24 of 26 cantons, the age was between 16 and 18 years old, while children were allowed to buy tobacco in Schwyz and Appenzell Innerrhoden!

Smoke-free places in Switzerland

As of 2010, smoking is prohibited indoors and in covered areas at workplaces, schools, hospitals, train stations and other public places. This follows a successful referendum on the topic, though a vote to extend the ban to more private accommodation was rejected by voters in 2012. 

However, the ban does not apply to restaurants, bars and cafés that are smaller than 80 square metres, or designated smoking rooms like the ones you find at airports. Smoking is also usually permitted in spaces immediately outside public accommodation. These areas can be identified by the fact that public bins have been fitted with ashtrays or places to stub out cigarettes.

Whether any further restrictions are applied is determined by each canton (see below).

Tobacco advertising

Also as part of the October 2024 changes, tobacco advertising is no longer permitted in Switzerland on public property, public transport and train stations, stadiums, cinemas or sporting events. Cigarette brands are no longer allowed to offer product giveaways or sponsor events which are “of international character or aimed at minors.”

Cantonal laws around smoking

In addition to the federal rules, each canton has its own policies on whether smoking is allowed in restaurants, and whether smoking rooms can be provided. 

In the first category, smoking is banned in all cafés and restaurants, but smoking rooms can be provided so long as they are ventilated and offer no table service. These rules are in place in Basel (both Stadt and Land), Fribourg, Geneva, Valais, Vaud and Neuchâtel.

The second rule is that smoking is banned in all cafés and restaurants, but service can be provided in designated ventilated smoking rooms. These restrictions are in place in Zurich, Bern, St. Gallen, Solothurn, Uri, Ticino, Graubünden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden.

Finally, in 11 Swiss cantons, only the federal rules apply. This means that smoking is allowed in bars, cafés and restaurants smaller than 80 metres squared, though each establishment can make its own rules on the practice. This interpretation is followed in Zug, Thurgau, Schwyz, Schaffhausen, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Lucerne, Jura, Glarus, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Aargau.

Key facts about smoking in Switzerland

With the rules now out of the way, here is some key information about smoking in Switzerland.

How do smoking rates compare to the rest of Europe? 

Compared to other nations in Europe, rates of smoking in Switzerland are very high. Based on the most recent data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) and Eurostat, the alpine nation (24 percent) has the 4th highest rate of smoking out of European states, only behind the likes of Bulgaria (28,7 percent), Turkey (27,3 percent) and Serbia (26,2 percent).

How popular is vaping in Switzerland?

As of 2022, 3 percent of the population of Switzerland vapes at least once a month. E-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular among young people, with a 2022 study from the University of Lausanne finding that 59 percent of 14 to 25-year-olds in French-speaking Switzerland have tried an e-cigarette once, while 12 percent vape frequently.

Is cannabis legal?

In a word, no. Cannabis that contains more than 1 percent THC - the active ingredient in the drug - is classed as illegal in Switzerland.

However, possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis is no longer a criminal offence. That being said, it is still possible to be fined 100 francs by the police, and getting caught with larger amounts, or intending to supply the drug, risks higher fines and even prison time.

So-called “low-strength” weed products with less than 1 percent THC are permitted and are sold in kiosks and shops across the cantons. What’s more, several Swiss cities have launched trial programmes where cannabis consumption is permitted, but these are heavily regulated and must be applied for.

FSO data suggests that 4 percent of the population of Switzerland consumes cannabis every month, while more than a third have tried the drug at least once.

Ways to quit smoking in Switzerland

If you would like to quit smoking for good, many organisations across Switzerland can help you with your journey. Health insurance providers are happy to help guide you through rehabilitation from smoking, be that via therapy, nicotine replacements or others, while Swiss hospitals - especially those with pulmonology departments - can provide support via a nicotine cessation advisor.

More information about other services can be found at StopSmoking.ch.