TOBACCO INDUSTRY FIGHTS FOR ALTERED TOBACCO LAW
By Adnews Staff
The Federal government should phase in its anti-smoking legislation that will effectively ban tobacco companies from sponsoring sports and cultural events, according to a study done by Secor Inc. of Montreal. The study was commissioned by The Alliance For Sponsorship Freedom. Because the tobacco companies will be severely restricted in their sponsorships, funds for events will be cut by 40%. The legislation goes into effect next fall. It will restrict brand-name tobacco advertising at cultural and sporting events to the bottom 10% of a display. It also bans tobacco ads from TV, radio, billboards, street kiosks and buses. Print advertising will be allowed only in adult publications. The tobacco industry, which includes Imperial Tobacco, RJR Macdonald Inc. and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., contributed $31 million to Quebec organizations and events in 1997. The industry believes replacing their sponsorships could take several years. The alliance favors the European Commission's plans to phase out cigarette advertising over nine years, starting with cinemas and billboards, then newspapers and finally world sporting and cultural events. The Non-Smokers' Rights Association says the 40% reduction applies only to the sponsorship contributions and not the entire cost of staging an event.