British American Tobacco and Formula One motor racing
BMJ 2004; 329 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.329.7457.104 (Published 08 July 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:104
All rapid responses
Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed. Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles. The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not including references and author details. We will no longer post responses that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
The BMW Williams F1 Team promotes smoking cessation. The logo of
NiQuitin CQ is prominently displayed at the side of the cockpit.
Smoking cessation at any age confers considerable benefit. Doll et al
showed gains of 3, 6, 9 and 10 years of life when smoking ceases at age
60, 50, 40 and 30 respectively (1). 28% of men and 25% of women in England
smoke (2).
The Williams Team has been at the forefront of F1 innovation since
1980, a dominance reflected by their achievement of 9 of the 23
constructors titles since that time. Their innovative stance in turning
from seeking sponsorship by tobacco companies to obtaining it from those
seeking to reduce smoking should be recognised and applauded as by doing
so it might persuade other F1 teams to follow their lead.
Reference 1
Doll R, Peto R, Boreham J, Sutherland I. BMJ 2004: 328:1519-33
Reference 2
Statistics on smoking: England, 2003. Statistical Bulletin 2003/21
November 2003.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Tobacco sponsorship of motor sports is an efficient way to reach boys
and young men[1]. Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT), the world's third largest
tobacco producer, had been advertising Mild Seven (one of JT's best-
selling brands) in Formula One. Now they found another way to promote
smoking. JT 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" traveled to event
locations throughout Japan, such as the classic-car race event in Gunma
prefecture and "The 37th Tokyo Motor Show 2003 �\ Passenger Cars &
Motorcycles" in Chiba prefecture last year[3]. JT claims that "SmoCar" has
been developed as part of the company's initiative for increased co-
existence between smokers and nonsmokers in public spaces. I think second-
hand smoke combined with exhaust gas from "SmoCar" become a hazard to
health of nonsmokers around the car[4].
Hiroshi Kawane
The Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing
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)
[2]Japan Tobacco Inc. "SmoCar."
http://www.jti.co.jp/JTI/tobacco/smocar/index.html(accessed 12 July 2004)
[3]Japan Tobacco Inc. JT launches second mobile smoking space "SmoCar 2."
http://www.jti.co.jp/JTI_E/Release/03/no23.html(accessed 12 July 2004)
[4]Kawane H. Slow progress on convention.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/328/7450/1220(accessed 12 July
2004)
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Doctors must advocate for prohibition of tobacco advertising in the community
Sir,
In light of reports of alarming numbers of tobacco related deaths in
developing countries [1,2], it is clear that as medical professionals, we
must be advocates for the prohibition of tobacco advertising and cessation
of tobacco usage.
While many western countries are in phase three or four of the
tobacco epidemic [3], maintaining the falling uptake of smoking by young
men is very important [4]. Conversely, in developing countries in phases
one and two of the tobacco epidemic, prevention of smoking uptake in young
men should be a priority if we are to avoid an epidemic of smoking related
disease [5].
Since young people "males in particular" are most likely to
commence smoking [6], and that tobacco sponsorship of motor sports remains
an efficient way of reaching boys and young men [7], it is imperative that
the prohibition of tobacco sponsorship and advertising in sport is a
priority.
Given the global coverage of Formula One, prohibition of tobacco
sponsorship of all teams and at all races would be an ideal situation, an
area of policy that the Federation Internationale De L'Automobile
(F1's governing body) is in the process of implementing by 2006 [8]. It
is in keeping with their existing statements on sustainable energy,
climate change, and road safety/accident prevention9 as a matter of global
social responsibility.
In Formula One, 13 of 18 races in 2004 races occur in Western
countries. Some governments of host nations have already prohibited the
advertising of tobacco (such as Canada and Belgium) during motor races,
while others have not. Governments of countries in the latter half of the
tobacco epidemic are well placed to lead the way in prohibition of
advertising and should implement bans across all forms of motor sport.
As health care professionals, we are uniquely placed as both
advocates to our patients and advocates to our governments. The more
people we support to quit smoking, the greater the acceptance of smoking
diminishes in the broader community.
--
References
1. Dobson R. Annual tobacco deaths in poor countries to reach 7
million by 2030. BMJ 2004;329:71
2. Asma S, Mensah GA, Warren CW. Henson R. Tobacco use and the
cardiovascular disease epidemic in developing countries: global crises and
opportunity in the making. Ethnicity & Disease. 2003;13(2 Suppl 2):S81
-7.
3. Lopez AD, Collishaw NE, Phia T. A descriptive model of the
cigarette epidemic in developed countries. Tobacco Control. 1994; 3; 242-
247.
4. Charlton A. Changing patterns of cigarette smoking among teenagers
and young adults. Paediatric Respiratory Reviews. 2001 Sep. 2(3):214-21.
5. Tamim H, Musharrafieh U, Almawi WY. Smoking among adolescents in a
developing country.Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
2001 Apr. 25(2):185-6.
6. Carlton A, While D, Kelly S. Boys' smoking and cigarette-brand-
sponsored motor racing. The Lancet. 1779;350(9089) 15.
7. Carlyle J, Collin J, Muggli ME, Hurt RD. British American Tobacco
and Formula One motor racing. BMJ. 2004; 329: 104-106.
8. FIA Official Press Release The 2003 Belgian Grand Prix
http://www.fia.com/mediacentre/Press_Releases/FIA_Sport/2002/291002-
01.html
9. FIA Mobility http://www.fia.com/mobility/Policy
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests