Tobacco companies challenge government regulations on advertising

Tobacco companies in Canada are challenging government regulations on advertising and asking for an end to the ban on tobacco sponsorship of sporting events. They are also making specific objections to government regulations that force them to display health warnings on cigarette packets. Some of these warnings contain explicit color photos of cigarette-damaged organs, or a picture of a drooping cigarette symbolising impotence caused by smoking. Peter Uko, of the National Council against Smoking, says that in South Africa, due to our high illiteracy rate, pictures would be far more effective than written warnings.