ASH Daily News for 20/12/1999
HEADLINES
ASH, 102 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4HW Tel: 0207 739 5902
Fax: 0207 613 0531
Saturday 18 - Monday 20 December, 1999
ASH Daily News
Headlines
Further reaction to advertising ban verdict
‘Smoking Jab Vaccine’
More coverage of ‘Mags for Fags’
Bootleg brothers ran £½m Business from Works locker
‘Tobacco Taskforce going up in smoke’
Food for your brain
Full Text
Further reaction to advertising ban verdict
Rob Griffin reports that, ‘Tobacco giants want to discuss the
possibility of introducing tougher voluntary agreements if the
government relaxes its demands for a complete ban’. However, the
article continues that, ‘health officials appear determined to fight
for a total ban’.
John Carlisle, of the Tobacco Manufacturers Association, said that the
industry had offered to ban poster and press advertising providing
that they could continue with direct mailing: “They just totally
ignored the offer and we never even got a reply to our letter…It is
laughable to try to revive an offer they did not have the courtesy to
acknowledge.”
Amanda Sandford, of ASH, is quoted in the article as saying, the
voluntary agreements are “weak as water” and says companies have,
“virtually free rein to do anything”.
Amanda added: “It’s good news that the government won the appeal. The
disappointing side is that its not going to go ahead right away
because the industry is playing its usual games and dragging it out as
long as possible.”
The Express comments, ‘The Court of Appeal has quite rightly
overturned an injunction brought by tobacco manufacturers which sought
to block the Government putting in place its much promised cigarette
advertising ban…This is just another delaying tactic.’
Source: Sunday Business, 19 December 1999, The Express 20 December,
1999
‘Smoking Jab Vaccine’
A vaccine against smoking is being developed in America. Tests funded
by the National Institute of Health indicate that a vaccine can reduce
the levels of nicotine reaching the brain.
‘A nicotine vaccine could be available with a few years’ adds the
Telegraph.
Source: The Times, The Express, Daily Telegraph, 18 December, 1999,
Evening Standard, 17 December 1999
More coverage of ‘Mags for Fags’
Brown & Williamson, the US subsidiary of BAT, has acquired a
reputation recently as a desperate company reports Dawn Hayes. With
many newspapers, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and
the Los Angeles Times, refusing to carry tobacco advertising, glossy
magazines now appear to be the last bastion of unfettered tobacco
advertising in the US. Known as ‘contract publishing’ the article also
reports that Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds are producing similar
magazines. Brown & Williamson has begun publishing three magazines
essentially designed to deliver its own advertising.
Source: Sunday Business, 20 December 1999
Bootleg brothers ran £½m Business from Works locker
A Rolls Royce Engineer made £500,000 from a bootleg drinks and tobacco
business he ran from four factory lockers, despite being arrested
three times by Customs officers. Peter Dye, along with his brother
Paul, will be sentenced in early New Year.
Source: Sunday Mirror, 19 December 1999
‘Tobacco Taskforce going up in smoke’
The tobacco sponsorship task force, the Government’s much vaunted
attempt to help sports such as snooker and angling find alternatives
to cigarette money is being put on the back burner. Apparently, Kate
Hoey has suggested greatly scaling down the level of effort until
closer to the 2003 deadline for the several sports to stop taking
tobacco money. Hoey is frustrated that several of the sports in
question have shown little interest in the help being offered. Given
that unhelpful attitude, it’s not surprising that she questioned
whether the task force should continue to meet every three of four
months, as it was first suggested when it was established, or whether
it should meet when necessary.
Source: The Observer, 19 December 1999
Food for your brain
Cigarette smoke is listed as one of the substances that can damage
your brain in an article by Sharon Collins in the Sunday Mirror.
Source: Sunday Mirror, 19 December 1999
Karl Brookes
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