Newspaper Society Speaks Out Against Tobacco Ad Ban

The Newspaper Society has written to the Department of Health asking to be represented at the government’s restricted-entry tobacco advertising summit. The summit is being held on July 14 to discuss the implementation of the ad ban.

The Newspaper Society lawyer, Mary Russell, spoke on behalf of the Society: “The Society has argued that, if a product is legal, then advertising it should be legal as well. Once this basic principle is breached, there is a danger that eventually other legal products, which are perceived as ‘undesirable’ by some sectors in society, will be made subject to a ban as well.”

Russell went on to point out that the regional newspaper industry’s revenue from tobacco advertising is virtually nil, The Society is lobbying the government on this matter purely to defend the principles of commercial free speech.

The Newspaper Society: 0171 636 7014