Tobacco Ad Ban Moves A Step Closer

A wide variety of viewpoints were heard at the Government-organised Anti-Smoking Summit yesterday. Speaking about the proposed tobacco advertising ban, Tessa Jowell, the public health minister, told the conference: “We know that there is no single measure which is magically going to persuade everyone to stop smoking. But, equally no other measures will be effective against a background of continued open tobacco advertising and promotion. That is why banning tobacco advertising is a crucial step. We want to put in place a range of complementary measures which will reinforce each other. But, we want to make certain these are the right measures – we don’t want to cause unintended damage to other areas of national life.” She continued: “Certainly we want to see an end to tobacco advertising in the form of sports sponsorship, but we don’t want to damage the sports themselves or the enjoyment of millions of people.”

The Newspaper Society, is one organisation which is strongly against a ban on tobacco ads *Newspaper Society Speaks Out Against Tobacco Ad Ban. The Society is in a unique position, because the regional press that it represents attract very little revenue from tobacco advertising. Mary Russell, the Newspaper Society’s solicitor, told Newsline that there seemed to be little scope for negotiation. She said: “We don’t believe that there are grounds to ban advertising on any legal product. If tobacco can be sold legally it should be able to advertise. We are worried that bans on other products could soon be considered.” The Society will continue lobbying the Government on this matter.

The government, however, seems committed to carrying out this policy and it now has plans to spearhead a tobacco advertising ban throughout the EU.

The tobacco companies are not taking this lying down however, the industry has threatened to withdraw sponsorship from motor-racing in those countries where a ban is introduced. This could encourage the sport to race elsewhere. To counter this threat, Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group, has pledged to set-up a rival Formula One if tobacco companies carried out their pledge to pull out of Silverstone following a tobacco ad ban. Branson said that Virgin companies would also take over sponsorship of any other events effected by the ban.

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