Tobacco.org

Ferrari, tobacco and supercars 

The European Union's Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou has written directly to Ferrari, asking the company to end its tobacco sponsorship in Formula 1, arguing that it undermines the goal European goal of ending all cigarette advertising at sporting events. Ferrari is banned from using the Marlboro logos at most events but continues to run the cars in Marlboro colours in Bahrain, Monaco, China and Japan. Images of those races are then beamed into European markets, despite the EU's ban and a determined attempt to stop such activities by the World Health Organisation.

It seems that Kyprianou is now trying to shame Ferrari into action.

"I am certain that finding alternative sponsorship will not constitute a great challenge for such a successful enterprise as Ferrari whose image would no longer be associated with a killing habit," Kyprianou wrote, in a letter which was clearly designed for public consumption. "The best solution would be that Ferrari and Philip Morris proactively decide to end the current sponsorship agreement immediately, a gesture that would be greatly appreciated.

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