Bahrain bans F1 tobacco advertising

NO SMOKING: Bahrain has banned Tobacco advertising on billboards related to Formula One. (Getty Images)

Tobacco advertising on billboards related to Formula One motor racing has been banned in Bahrain in a move to reduce smoking in the kingdom, where one in three adults smoke.

The ruling is part of a long-term campaign to remove cigarette and tobacco advertising at all of the kingdom's sporting events, Bahrain daily Gulf Daily News reported on Tuesday.

Mariam Al Jalahma, under-secretary for primary care and public health at the Health Ministry, said the ban was a significant development in Bahrain's effort to tackle its growing smoking epidemic, quoted the newspaper.

However, Al Jalahma would not comment on whether this ban would be extended to tobacco advertising during the race itself.

There is already a blanket ban on tobacco advertising in Europe and many F1 teams are no longer sponsored by tobacco companies.

A ban on all tobacco sponsorship in F1 will come into affect in 2009.

Al Jalahma said the government was currently studying anti-smoking laws of several countries, as it drafts its own legislation, according to Gulf Daily News.

The government first drafted an anti-smoking law in 1994, but it was not implemented. The new draft is a combination of the original draft and a new law proposed by the parliament.

The proposed anti-smoking law will see smokers fined up to 50 Bahrani dinars ($132) for lighting up in specified public areas, while restaurants which fail to properly separate smoking and non-smoking areas will be fined up to 5,000 dinars and closed for up to two months.

Al Jalahma expected the law would be passed by the Shura Council before the end of the year.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Bahrain Bans F1 Tobacco Advertising
Posted by Phil, Toronto, Canada on Tuesday 4 March 2008 at 01:25 UAE time


Good for the government of Bahrain. It's nice to see that they aren't accepting payoffs from big tobacco as some other governments appear to be doing. I'd love to see Ferrari forced to find a more acceptable and responsible sponsor than Marlboro cigarettes.

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM