SS 16.00-17.30 Special sessions

A DUTCH PLEA FOR A TOBACCO ADVERTISING BAN

In the summer of 1995 Dr Els Borst, Minister of Health in the Dutch Government, announced a plan to tighten her tobacco smoking discouragement policy.

During a debate in parliament spokespersons of several political parties urged the minister to impose a ban for tobacco advertising in the Netherlands and to support such a proposal in the November 1995 meeting of the Health Ministers of the European Union in Madrid. Because it seemed that for the first time a parliamentary majority stood out, the Executive Committee of the Dutch Medical Alliance against smoking decided to call upon 250 professors of the 8 Medical Faculties of the Dutch Universities, working in clinical fields of smoking related diseases.

Within 2 weeks 182 of them (73%) declared by letter to support a Petition, to be sent to all ministers and all members of parliament. In organizing this event the Medical Alliance received important help from the Dutch Foundation "Smoking and Health".

In the petition the Ministers and Parliamentarians were incited to decide a rigorous limitation of tobacco advertising.

Three arguments were used in the Petition:

1. the health injury and premature mortality are enormous

2. tobacco advertising is often aimed at youngsters

3. especially social weaker groups are the victims

On October 25 a delegation of 10 medical professors presented the petition to the President of the parliamentary Committee for Public Health. Afterwards the petition was elucidated during a press conference in the parliament building. Several tv-stations (3), radio-stations (6) and daily newspapers (19) payed much attention to the presentation and the petition. Regrettably our government afterwards yet decided again, together with the UK, Germany, Denmark and Greece, to block a European advertising ban.

Nevertheless in the Netherlands the debate about a strict limitation of tobacco advertising is still going on. A new debate in parliament in the coming months still holds the possibility of a majority enforcing the government to effectively restrict tobacco advertising.

Conclusion:

The Petition of the 185 medical professors was a stimulating factor in the tobacco law discussion, amplified the commitment of many doctors and played a role in the public concern for the smoking issue.

Conclusion:
Smoke Free Europe Conference Abstracts - 19 SEP 1996

Generated with Harlequin WebMaker