[Intl-tobacco] ASH lukewarm on tobacco advertising ban - text disfigured by a huge loophole

[Robert Weissman]

ASH LUKEWARM ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING BAN - TEXT DISFIGURED BY A HUGE LOOPHOLE

Source: ASH London
Date: 2002-12-02
URL: http://www.ash.org.uk/html/press/021202.html
ID: 110330

ASH's reaction to a new European Union directive on tobacco
advertising was at best "lukewarm" - arguing that the measure
has a giant loophole and may compromise national legislation by
inviting challenges against stronger measures agreed nationally.
The directive bans 'direct' tobacco advertising on radio,
printed publications, internet and international sponsorship -
but it doesn't ban 'indirect advertising' - for example Camel
boots, Marlboro Classics clothing, Luck Strike Originals etc.

Clive Bates, Director of the anti-tobacco campaigning group ASH
said:

If you leave the tobacco companies the option to advertise
cigarette brands using boots, clothing adventure sports or other
non-tobacco products then that is what they will do. The budgets
will just shift into this type of promotion and spending will be
just as high as ever.

"We're not just making the perfect the enemy of the good", said
Bates, "the main effect of this directive will be to force a
change of the type of advertising we see, but it is unlikely
actually to reduce it that much."

"The directive " is disfigured by it failure to respect the
evidence that shows that for tobacco advertising bans have to be
comprehensive and complete if they are going to be effective."