Company denies cigarette claim

Press, 6 December 1989, Page 31

Company denies cigarette claim

PA Wellington The Rothmans cigarette company will not hand out free cigarettes at beaches, concerts and sporting events this summer, says a company director, Mr Owen Morgan.

. His statement came in response to an item on TV3 News in which it was reported that the cigarette company had employed students to hand out free cigarettes at beaches, concerts and sporting events. The Minister of Health, Ms Clark, said on the programme that she was appalled that the company had recruited students to promote a product which was a serious danger to health.

She also said she thought the campaign could breach the tobacco industry’s code of practice on tobacco advertising. But Mr Morgan said the information given to the Minister was “obviously incorrect and unfounded.” Rothmans had not had an opportunity to discuss

the matter with the Minister before the statement was made on television. “Although I pointed out to a reporter of TV3 that the company would be restricting its promotion only to licensed premises and only to smokers who clearly stated that they would like to receive a sample of one of our company’s brands, TV3 still chose to proceed with the item.” Mr Morgan said all staff employed for the campaign had been made aware of the nature of the employment. f In addition it was a condition of employment that they be over the age of 25. He said tobacco companies had held promotions of this type from fime to time for years. There was no breach of the agreement with the Government for marketing tobacco products. The companies had always abided carefully by the letter and spirit of the agreement, he said.