CIGARETTE COMPANIES

CIGARETTE COMPANIES

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(Advertising for national events): **

23.

Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts what is the Ministry’s policy with regard to advertising by cigarette companies for national events such as the Singapore HeritageFest 2009.

RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Community and private sector support is an important source of funding for the promotion and development of arts and cultural activities. Such sponsorships have enabled the National Heritage Board (NHB) to enrich its programming and organise various outreach initiatives and community-bonding events such as the Singapore HeritageFest 2009.

Among the sponsors of the HeritageFest is a tobacco company. NHB has been receiving this sponsorship via exemption from the Smoking (CAST) Act. The exemption clause in the Act allows discretionary exemptions for tobacco companies to be acknowledged as sponsors for events. NHB has had to apply for such exemptions with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), which is the agency enforcing the Smoking (CAST) Act.

To ensure sponsorship acknowledgements by tobacco companies do not unduly promote smoking or tobacco, every application for exemption is assessed on its own merit, based on stringent advertising restrictions on elements such as event coverage and specifications of publicity materials used. For its part, NHB ensures that promotional materials targeted at students and children do not carry the logo of the company.

To meet the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which Singapore ratified in 2004, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) is removing this exemption clause within the Draft Smoking (CAST) Amendment Bill 2009. This will come into effect in end 2010. NHB will abide by the guidelines that arise from this exercise.