EU Approves Ad Ban

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

                  EU Approves Tobacco Advertising Ban

                  Monday, June 22, 1998; 12:51 p.m. EDT

                  LUXEMBOURG (AP) -- The European Union gave final
approval
                  Monday to a law phasing out tobacco advertising in the
15-nation bloc. 

                  The law will abolish almost all tobacco advertising by
2006. Approval
                  was a formality after the ban received the backing of EU
health ministers
                  in December and a majority of legislators in the
European Parliament last
                  month. 

                  Germany and Austria voted against the ban, arguing
individual EU nations
                  should be free to decide such public health issues.
Spain and Denmark
                  abstained. 

                  Under the directive, most tobacco advertising will be
illegal within four
                  years and cigarette makers will have until October 2006
to end
                  sponsorship of major sports and cultural events. 

                  Tobacco advertising is already banned in Finland,
France, Italy, Portugal
                  and Sweden. Belgium plans to ban it next year. 

                               © Copyright 1998 The Associated Press






  








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