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ASH Daily News

16 December 2002

HEADLINES

FIA warns EU
Plan for chemists to sell cigarettes
Miscellaneous

FULL TEXT


FIA warns EU

The FIA warned last week that European races had been put at risk and
criticised the European Union over plans to introduce a tobacco ban in
Formula One from 2005.

The World Council of FIA, the sports governing body, stopped short of
abandoning its own self imposed deadline of October 2006, for banning
tobacco advertising at its meeting in Monaco. But the FIA president, Max
Mosley warned that if the European Union goes ahead with its earlier date
then teams would be forced to seek events in countries not affected by a
ban.

In a letter to the EU’s Health Commissioner David Byrne, Max Mosley said:
“By choosing an earlier date, the EU will now force teams to seek events
outside the EU during part of 2005 and all of 2006 in order to observe
contracts which do not expire until the end of 2006. Such events themselves
will inevitably seek long term contracts and allow tobacco sponsorship. The
probable consequence is that the tobacco contracts that currently expire in
2006 will be extended beyond that date.”

Source: The Independent, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, 14 December 2002



Plan for chemists to sell cigarettes

The Express reports on German proposals to ban the sale of cigarettes -
except in chemists, where they will be sold alongside Nicotine Replacement
Therapy products.

Government health advisor Dr Friedrich Hach said only pharmacists were
suited for selling cigarettes because they were trained in handing out
dangerous drugs. “Cigarettes are more dangerous than many medicines and do
not belong in the hands of children. Access should be made more difficult
and banned from kiosks, supermarkets and other product.”, said Dr Hach.

Germany is preparing tough new measures on smokers by increasing tobacco
taxes and setting up more no-smoking zones. The moves have led to newspaper
campaigns challenging whether smokers are losing their right.

But Dr Hach, head of the Family Physicians’ Association has hit out at
double standards: “On the one hand politicians want the taxes”, he said.
“You see cigarettes being sold on every corner. On the other hand they talk
about how unhealthy cigarettes are. They need to take a harder stand.”

Source: The Express, 14 December 2002



Miscellaneous

Several newspapers reported over the weekend on an unsavoury brawl that
broke out in an airliner at 35,000. The chartered plane was carrying Celtic
Football Club supporters back from an away game in Spain. A fight broke out
in the aisles when the stewardess who asked a passenger to put out his
cigarette was punched on the arm. The plane had to be rerouted and six
people were arrested.

Source: The Observer, Daily Mail, The Express, 15 December 2002


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Naj Dehlavi
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
http://www.ash.org.uk