XN000022-1990-03-15 — Page 4

THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1990

GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP ANTI-SMOKING MEASURES

THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BAN SMOKING ON ALL FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AS WELL AS IN CINEMAS, THEATRES, CONCERT HALLS, AND VIDEO- GAME CENTRES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

AT THE SAME TIME, TOBACCO ADVERTISING WILL BE SUBJECT ΤΟ NEW REQUIREMENTS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SMOKING ARE FULLY UNDERSTOOD, HE SAID.

THE

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SPOKESMAN

SAID THESE DECISIONS WERE MADE IN RESPONSE ΤΟ VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORWARD BY THE COUNCIL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH (COSH), AND FOLLOWED A PERIOD OF EXTENSIVE PUBLIC CONSULTATION, DURING WHICH THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARDS WERE SOLICITED.

"WE HAVE TRIED TO STEER A MODERATE COURSE TOWARDS GREATER SMOKING CONTROLS, HAVING CAREFULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT PUBLIC OPINION EXPRESSED.

"THERE WAS MUCH PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR EXTENDING NO-SMOKING AREAS IN PUBLIC PLACES, BUT PROPOSALS FOR EXTENDING CONTROLS ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP PROVED TO BE MORE CONTROVERSIAL," HE SAID.

THE MAIN CHANGES PROPOSED ARE:

NO-SMOKING AREAS IN PUBLIC PLACES WILL BE EXTENDED: SMOKING WILL BE BANNED IN ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT, INCLUDING TAXIS, AND IN CINEMAS, THEATRES, CONCERT HALLS AND VIDEO-GAME CENTRES.

ROTATING HEALTH WARNINGS CONTAINING STRONGER AND MORE SPECIFIC MESSAGES WILL REPLACE THE SINGLE PRESCRIBED HEALTH WARNING ON CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS, AND THE SIZE OF THE WARNING ON CIGARETTE PACKETS AND CIGARETTE ADVERTISEMENTS WILL BE ENLARGED.

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MANDATORY UPPER LIMIT ON THE TAR AND/OR NICOTINE CONTENT OF CIGARETTES, THOUGH THE LIMITS TO BE IMPOSED HAVE STILL TO BE DETERMINED. THE TAR GROUP DESIGNATIONS WILL BE RESTRUCTURED IN LINE WITH THE UK PRACTICE.

FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT'S EARLIER DECISION TO BAN TOBACCO ADVERTISING COMPLETELY ON TELEVISION AND RADIO WITH EFFECT FROM DECEMBER 1990, THIS BAN WILL BE EXTENDED TO CINEMAS BY DECEMBER 1991.

/* THE LAW