Press release      Embargo:4^th October 2000 immediate

Tobacco advertising ban: industry wrecking tactics will bethwarted but more lives will be lost through delays

Inthe light of an expected setback on banning tobacco advertising in the EuropeanCourt of Justice, ASH called on the government and European Union to continueto legislate to ban tobacco advertising and use the opportunity to tighten theban and remove loopholes introduced by opponents of the ban during thenegotiations.  The UK government hasalready stated that it is preparing legislation, which it will take throughWestminster before the next election to secure the 1997 manifesto commitment toban tobacco advertising. 

Themain loopholes relate to advertising in shops, specialist tobacco outlets and'brand-stretching' - the advertising of non-tobacco products like boots,clothes or holidays, with tobacco brands.

CliveBates, Director of ASH said:

"There is definitely a silver lining because thegovernment can now redraft the advertising ban to close the various loopholesand remove the unnecessary Formula One compromise.  We should end up with a tighter tobacco advertising ban inBritain and this will be no more than the tobacco companies deserve."

ASHwarned there would be a price for further delay - eight unnecessary deaths perday of delay.  The effect on consumptionof tobacco caused by an advertising ban would be a few percent reduction - thegovernment assumes 2.5 percent, but the death from tobacco is so large thatthis would reduce the tobacco related death toll by 3,000 according to thegovernment.

"People sometimes forget that lives are lostthrough tobacco advertising. It encourages adults to continue smoking and helpspersuade kids to start. Through a chain of addiction and then disease tobaccoadvertising ultimately kills people.

ButASH warned that the big problem remained those parts of Europe that don't haveadvertising legislation in place - including East European states hoping tojoin the EU.  The EU advertising ban wouldhave covered 450 million people.

"We hope that the European Commission will studythe ruling and have a revised proposal on the table before Christmas.  We genuinely need European legislation inthis area - there are over half a million tobacco deaths in the EU and this isone measure that would help," said Bates.

ASHexpects the EU advertising directive to be annulled by the European Court ofJustice on technical legal grounds related to the powers granted to the EU ofthe Treaties of the European Union.

"If it means they have to fix the Treaty so thatit gives the powers to protect health and consumers as well as promoting freetrade, then that should be high on the agenda for the member states," said Bates.

ASH Contacts:Clive Bates / Amanda Sandford

+44 (0)20 77395902 (w) +44 (0)468 791 237 (m) +44(0)20 8800 1336 (h)

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