Embargo:  00.01 hrs. :  Wednesday 15 August 2001

Ghost ofEcclestone still haunts Government as health groups call for tobacco ad-ban.

Anew opinion poll published today shows that around half of people (48%) believethat the Government has delayed legislation to ban tobacco advertising becauseof lobbying by the tobacco industry and other influential figures such asBernie Ecclestone. The poll, conducted by ICM Research on behalf of ASH, alsoshowed that almost two thirds of people (63%) support a tobacco ad-ban.

Thesefindings will make uncomfortable reading for Ministers, who have faced strongcriticism from public health groups following their decision to drop a tobaccoad-ban from this year's legislative programme. They will be worried that, fouryears after the controversy surrounding Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone'sdonation to the Labour Party, and Labour's subsequent change of policy ontobacco sponsorship for Formula One, memories of this are still fresh in theminds of many voters. Ministers will also be worried by the implication thatthey are acting as if they are in the pockets of the tobacco industry and othervested interests.

Cancercharities have joined ASH in challenging the Government to disprove thesesuspicions by banning tobacco advertising this year. 

ProfessorGordon McVie, Director General of The Cancer Research Campaign (CRC), said:

"It'shardly surprising the public is so cynical. Health professionals, thegeneral public and even the Government have stated that they are opposed totobacco advertising. Only the tobacco industry is in favour of it. TheGovernment claim that they want to ban tobacco advertising. Now is the time todeliver."

SirPaul Nurse, Director General of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), said:

“By imposing a ban today, the government would be wellon the way to achieving its Cancer Plan target to reduce smoking rates by 4 percent. But each day they delay, these targets move further out of reach. Onlylast month, for example, youth smoking statistics suggested that more kids weretaking up the habit.

"It's clear from this research that banningtobacco advertising would be a popular move. It seems bizarre that thegovernment is sitting on such an important bill."

JohnConnolly, Public Affairs Manager at ASH, said:

“Thispoll shows just how out of step with public opinion the Government is overbanning tobacco advertising. A ban would save lives, cost next to nothing andbe very popular. I can't think of much other legislation you can say thatabout. A Private Members Bill to ban tobacco advertising will be debated in theAutumn. The Government should back this or introduce its own Bill immediatelyParliament returns.  If Ministers areworried about voter cynicism, a tobacco ad-ban would go a long way towardsreassuring the public that the Government puts public health ahead of bigbusiness” 

ENDS

Notes

[1]. ICM Research interviewed arandom selection of 1004 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 3-5 August 2001.Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weightedto the profile of all adults. The full polling results are available on the ASHwebsite at http://www.ash.org.uk/html/advspo/html/icm%20poll_files/frame.htm

[2]. Legislation to ban tobaccoadvertising was a Government Manifesto commitment in both 1997 and 2001. A Billwhich would have implemented this commitment was debated in Parliament in thefirst half of this year, but was lost due to lack of time in the run-up to theGeneral Election. This Bill was subsequently dropped from June's Queen'sSpeech, but a Liberal Democrat Peer has re-introduced it as a Private MembersBill. Further details are available on the ASH website at www.ash.org.uk/?advertising. 

Contact: 

John Connolly (ASH) 020 77395902(Office) or 07702 817477 (Mobile)

Dawn Boyall (ICRF) 020 72692818(Office) or 07879 425267 (Mobile)

Susan Osborne (CRC) 020 7487 3768(Office) or 07836 229208 (Mobile)

ISDN available.