Candian Health Groups Cry Sellout (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Antismoking groups cry sellout

Thursday, June 4, 1998 By Anne Mcilroy and Shawn Mccarthy

 OTTAWA -- The federal government's decision to give organizers of
cultural and sporting events more time to wean themselves from
tobacco-sponsorship money is being criticized as a sellout to the industry
and yet another Liberal failure in the fight to stop young people from
smoking. 

Antismoking groups, along with Reform and NDP health critics, say it is
the young Canadians entering high school now who will pay the price for
the amendments to the Tobacco Act tabled yesterday by Health Minister
Allan Rock. 

"I look upon those just entering high school now . . . those are the kids
that are being left without the protection of this government," said
Reform critic Dr. Grant Hill. 

The amendments would allow cigarette companies to continue to sponsor
events such as Formula One car races or professional tennis tournaments
for two more years, which the current law would have severely restricted
starting in October. Tighter restrictions would now kick in after two
years, and all sponsorship would be banned by 2003. 

Under the current law, some form of sponsorship could have continued
indefinitely. Mr. Rock defended the amendments yesterday and said the
total ban means that he has made The Tobacco Act more "severe" and
"restrictive. 

"What we are doing is ensuring that, after the transition period,
sponsorship by tobacco companies simply will not be allowed. And if there
is a connection -- as some argue there is -- between sponsorship by
tobacco companies and kids getting hooked, we are going to take it away.
And the way we get there, the way we achieve that very important
objective, is to have this transition period." 

The tobacco industry welcomed the reprieve but said companies would
probably sponsor events for only the next two years because after that the
restrictions would make it not worth their while. Groups that depend on
tobacco money for their events were also happy with the two-year
moratorium but said they may have trouble finding replacement funding. 

The critics focused on the health costs of the decision. The Canadian
Medical Association issued a statement that said 500,000 Canadian children
will start smoking in the five-year grace period and 250,000 Canadians
will die from tobacco-related illnesses. 

"We are hooking another five years of kids," said Dr. David Esdaile with
Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. "This is not about the balance between
health groups and arts and sports groups as we have been led to believe.
It is about big tobacco versus kids. This is what it has been about from
the start." 

Rob Cunningham, a researcher with the Canadian Cancer Society, said there
is no reason not to ban all tobacco sponsorships now. "From a health
perspective, this is going to have a serious impact." 

The groups did applaud Mr. Rock for moving to a total ban. But they said
it is taking a dangerously long time to outlaw sponsorship, which they say
supports a hip lifestyle that attracts children to smoking. 

Yesterday, Mr. Rock defended his approach. He said he took more than a
year to come up with the compromise because he wasn't willing to weaken
the Tobacco Act in order to satisfy a promise made by his predecessor.
Just before last year's federal election, former health minister David
Dingwall promised to amend the legislation to continue to allow the use of
logos with cigarette brand names on Grand Prix cars, drivers, pit crews
and transport equipment. 

The issue has been a tricky one for Mr. Rock. He was under pressure to be
more flexible, especially in Quebec, where many of the affected events are
held and the tobacco companies are based. 

But Quebec recently paved the way by proposing a bill that is tougher than
the federal amendments. The Quebec legislation would ban sponsorship for
most events after two years but allow a five-year grace period for auto
racing. 

Mr. Rock's insistence that these amendments would make the Tobacco Act
tougher was undermined by the support the industry gave them. Marie-Josée
Lapointe, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers
Association, said Mr. Rock's amendments would save hundreds of events that
Canadians flock to each year,
 at least in the short term. "The Canadian government has at least
acknowledged the economic value of these events, and we appreciate
minister Rock's understanding of that reality." 

She denied the Liberals buckled under pressure from the cigarette
manufacturers. "It's not a cave-in to the tobacco industry, it's a cave-in
to common sense," she said. But she cautioned that many companies would
probably end their sponsorship after two years ecause of the restrictions.
A spokesman for Imperial Tobacco agreed. "After two years it will
essentially mean the end of titled sponsorship by Imperial Tobacco,"
company spokesman Michel Descoteaux said. 

Mr. Rock said he is confident that the amendments can withstand a court
challenge. But Ms. Lapointe noted the Supreme Court of Canada has already
struck down a previous attempt by the government to restrict the
industry's freedom of expression, and the tobacco manufacturers are
confident they can win a similar challenge to the sponsorship
restrictions, which they launched last year. 

The changing law

- The Tobacco Act passed in April of 1997 would have severely restricted
tobacco sponsorship of cultural and sporting events. 

Effective Oct. 1 -The use of tobacco brand names or logos would have been
confined to the bottom 10 per cent of posters, signs or other display
surfaces. 

-Sponsorship materials that contained tobacco brand names, such as
advertising, would have been permitted only in direct mailings to adults,
in publications with primarily adult readers, in taverns and bars, and on
the site of the sponsored event. 

The amendments -Organizers of events and tobacco companies would get two
more years to continue operating without restrictions. 

 -For three years after that, sponsorship could continue but with the same
restrictions outlined above.  -By 2003, or five years after the amendments
were passed, all sponsorship would be banned. 

Staff

Up in smoke

Tobacco companies spend about $60-million a year funding more than 370
arts, sports, fashion and entertainment events. Some of the biggest losers
if that money is lost: 

Events sponsored by Imperial Tobacco Ltd.  -Grand Prix in Montreal and
Trois Rivieres -Molson Indy in Vancouver and Toronto -Du Maurier jazz
festivals in Vancouver, Toronto, Halifax and Montreal -Du Maurier
International show jumping at Spruce Meadows in Calgary Events sponsored
by Rothmans Benson & Hedges -International Film Festival in Toronto,
Montreal and Vancouver -Benson & Hedges Symphony of Fire in Vancouver,
Toronto and Montreal -Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal

Copyright © 1998, The Globe and Mail Company