Indian team's tobacco logo not breaking NZ anti-smoke laws (15 January 1999)

15 January 1999

Indian team's tobacco logo not breaking NZ anti-smoke laws

AFP

WELLINGTON, Jan 15 (AFP) - The visiting Indian cricket team is not breaking New Zealand's anti-smoking laws despite Wills logos on their bats and uniforms, a minister said Friday.

Associate Health Minister Tuariki Delamere said the Ministry of Health had decided, after getting a legal opinion from the Crown Law Office, that the logos do not breach the Smokefree Environments Act because they do not advertise a tobacco product on sale in New Zealand.

"There is no brand of tobacco product available for sale in New Zealand that relates to the logos. Nor are the logos or names being used as a tobacco product trademark in New Zealand," he said.

Delamere had previously told the Sunday Star-Times newspaper that the logos almost certainly breached the act. He was roundly criticised by opposition parties for taking a "politically correct" stance to extremes.

WD and HO Wills is a multinational tobacco company which markets Wills cigarettes in India. But New Zealand Cricket defended the logo worn by the Indian team, saying it belongs to a subsidiary company which manufactures sports equipment.

Though Wills has a New Zealand subsidiary, called British American Tobacco New Zealand, it does not market cigarettes here under the Wills brand.

Test and one-day international matches went ahead after the ministry's investigation began, without any consideration given to removing the logos from the Indian team uniforms.

Source :: AFP