In a dramatic turn-around, the UAE’s ministry of information and culture has reversed an earlier decision to ban the advertising and promotion of tobacco products.
This latest development comes in the wake of the January 20 announcement that UAE has introduced one of the most stringent ant-tobacco bans in the world. The ban was to be enforced by the ministry of information and culture, and its undersecretary had already contacted with newspaper editors, television and radio station directors and distributors of foreign newspapers, explaining to them the implications of the ban on advertisements, promotions or competitions which endorse smoking or tobacco products
In announcing the decision to rescind the ministry’s earlier order, Undersecretary Saqr Ghobash did not say that it was being relinquished entirely, but rather the requirement that it be enforced immediately was being changed. The ministry, he said, was studying ways to best way to implement the ban.
The decision to ban advertising and promotion of tobacco products was originally taken by the General Secretariat of Municipalities, and it followed a much earlier ruling of the cabinet from 1980.
The news that the ban was being rescinded, or at the every least delayed, raised the spirits of both the country’s tobacco industry, advertising sector, and, ironically, a fairly large portion of the sports community, which would be hard hit by the withdrawal of tobacco’s advertising money.
"As far as the local advertising industry is concerned, it's very good news indeed. Everyone's very relieved at the change in the ministry's approach to the issue," said Ian Fairservice, president of the UAE Chapter of the International Advertisers Association, speaking to Gulf News..
"I have been in discussions with representatives of the tobacco industry, and they are keen to meet with the ministry and discuss a form of self-regulation which is acceptable to all parties," Fairservice stated. — (Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
