Vol. 571 No. 2
284 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Health and Children if, in the context of measures to combat the sale and promotion of tobacco products, he is proposing to ban the sale and advertising of non-tobacco products that bear the name, design, logo or image of a tobacco product or have any link with a tobacco product; if so when such a ban will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21454/03]
The Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003, which amends certain sections of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002, provides for a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising. The definitions of advertising include every form of recommendation of the product to the public and any form of commercial communication with the aim of promoting a tobacco product. The 2002 Act provided for the prohibition on the sale of non-tobacco products using logos or emblems associated with tobacco products, which is usually referred to as brand stretching. The 2003 Bill, which was published on 19 August, will amend the 2002 Act to, inter alia, give effect to Directive 2003/03/EC, which prohibits the advertising of tobacco products. The directive does not include a prohibition on brand stretching, though it had originally been proposed to do so, and this development is reflected in the amending Bill.
The issue of brand stretching will be kept under review and should further measures be necessary to strengthen public health policy in this area, I will consider bringing forward appropriate proposals.
