News from Bahrain is that all tobacco advertisements relating to Formula One have been pulled thanks to an anti-smoking campaign by health officials. The move is the latest evidence Gulf states are getting serious about tackling what Bahrain’s public health assistant under-secretary calls an “epidemic” of smoking. Hats of to Bahrain for stepping up, and with the F1 race only weeks away. "This is a beginning and will go a long way in our ultimate goal of getting Bahrain to be a smoke-free nation," Dr Mariam Al Jalahma told the Gulf Daily News.
Europe has already banned tobacco sponsorship, but new markets (F1 is in Bahrain, China and Turkey, and will be in the USAE next year) have been less strict. Bahrain is not up to European standards just yet – the ban applies to ads outside the race track. No word on whether advertising will be banned on the weekend of the race.
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