2024-03-16 09:57:17
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Sometimes 15 times more than the legal limit
The current standards in force in Switzerland are based on a European directive from 2014: each so-called “closed” system electronic cigarette must not contain more than 2 ml of e-liquid nor more than 20 mg/ml of nicotine. The reservoir of these systems using capsules or disposable reservoirs should therefore be able to deliver a maximum of 600 puffs taken from this volume of 2 ml of e-liquid. However, it is currently possible to order electronic cigarettes online promising up to 16,000 puffs and with a 30 ml tank, or 15 times more than the legal limit.
The AT Suisse investigation estimates that this legal standard is exceeded by the majority of disposable cigarettes on the Swiss market: they are therefore sold illegally, and with complete impunity, despite a parliamentary inquiry filed on this subject in 2023 by the national advisor Laurence Fehlmann Rielle (PS/GE).
The equivalent of 1200 cigarettes for less than 30 francs
Who sells them, and to whom? Almost all of the merchant sites examined by AT (more than a hundred) offer products that go beyond legal standards. On this list, we find small digital shops, but also major players in Swiss e-commerce, such as Galaxus, partially owned by Migros. Asked by 24 hours and the Geneva TribuneGalaxus indicated that it had removed all non-compliant products from its assortment and was in discussions on the subject with its supplier.
The prices offered by these sites are very attractive and thus appeal to young consumers. For example, the Puff Turbo 16,000 sold on an e-commerce site for 26.90 francs would represent the nicotine equivalent of 1,200 traditional cigarettes, underlines AT.
In video: Switzerland is not about to ban puffs
Huge margins
The sale of disposable electronic cigarettes is extremely lucrative. Manufactured at lower cost, directly ordered by online sales sites from Chinese factories, they are likely to generate up to 90% net profits.
No market surveillance system has yet been put in place, regrets AT, who believes that prevention against the harm caused by tobacco has been relegated to the background of public health policies. Nicotine being a highly addictive substance and electronic cigarettes massively attracting young consumers, AT Switzerland announces that it will contact the cantons directly by providing them with the list of companies that manage these websites, in the hope of action. .
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