The Hard Case for Learning: Explaining the Diversity of Swiss Tobacco Advertisement Bans

Abstract

Tobacco prevention is a hard case for policy learning. Despite clear evidence about the damaging effects on health since the 1930s, smoking prevalence remains high. Thus, what are the conditions under which we can observe diffusion of tobacco bans? The subnational units of Switzerland constitute an ideal-typical representation of the patchwork we see in global tobacco prevention. In the absence of national guidelines, some cantons have started introducing their own instruments, while others have remained largely passive. To explain this process, I combine the learning approach with the Multiple Streams Framework to examine tobacco advertisement bans. The merging of these theories allows for a deeper understanding of different mechanisms promoting or hindering learning, while controlling for the role of context. Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a suitable method to put this theoretical approach into practice. While a variety of factor-combinations account for the adoption or rejection of the tobacco advertisement bans, the decisive roles of private interest groups and the specific form of the proposed bans stand out. Even though a generalization of the findings may be somewhat difficult due to the peculiarities of the Swiss system, in the conclusion I reflect on how policy-makers, activists and lobbyists can use the findings about different macro-level characteristics and possible interaction effects when they want to introduce new legislation in a political system against resilient and vested interests.