Saudi Arabia To Restrict Tobacco Ads (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

                                 Saudi Arabia moves to limit tobacco
advertising 
                                 11:07 a.m. Aug 20, 1998 Eastern 

                                 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) -
Saudi Arabia will ban some foreign
                                 publications that carry cigarette
advertising to be distributed in the kingdom, a
                                 Saudi-based newspaper said Thursday. 

                                 The English-language daily Arab News quoted
Information Ministry officials as
                                 saying the ban covered magazines and papers
aimed at young people and
                                 women, particularly those that dealt with
sports, social and cultural issues. 

                                 The initial ban did not cover political
publications, but ministry officials were
                                 quoted as saying that more foreign
magazines and papers would come under the
                                 ban at a later stage. 

                                 Saudi Arabia, the largest tobacco market in
the Persian Gulf, imports about 47
                                 million cigarettes per day, Arab News
reported. 


                                 Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.