BMJ  2004;329:352 (7 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7461.352-c

Letter

Japan Tobacco Incorporated has found a new way of promoting tobacco in motor sports

EDITOR—Tobacco sponsorship of motor sports is an efficient way to reach boys and young men.¹ Japan Tobacco Incorporated, the world's third largest tobacco producer, had been advertising one of its bestselling brands in Formula One. Now it has found another way to promote smoking. Japan Tobacco has made a couple of mobile home-style trailers named "SmoCar." ² They say smokers can enjoy a smoke in these special trailers even if smoking is not allowed in public places. SmoCar 2 travelled to event locations throughout Japan last year³. Japan Tobacco claims that SmoCar has been developed as part of the company's initiative for increased coexistence between smokers and non-smokers in public spaces. I think secondhand smoke combined with exhaust fumes from "SmoCar" has become a health hazard for non-smokers in the vicinity of the car.

Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing, 1-2 Ajinadai-higashi, Hatsukaichi City, 738-0052 kawane{at}jrchcn.ac.jp

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Competing interests: None declared.

References

1. Carlyle J, Collin J, Muggli ME, Hurt RD. British American Tobacco and Formula One motor racing. BMJ 2004;329: 104-106. (10 July.)[Free Full Text]
2. Japan Tobacco Incorporated. "SmoCar." www.jti.co.jp/JTI/tobacco/smocar/index.html (accessed 12 Jul 2004).
3. Japan Tobacco Incorporated. JT launches second mobile smoking space "SmoCar 2." www.jti.co.jp/JTI_E/Release/03/no23.html (accessed 12 Jul 2004).

Related Article

British American Tobacco and Formula One motor racing

Joshua Carlyle, Jeff Collin, Monique E Muggli, and Richard D Hurt
BMJ 2004 329: 104-106. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]