F1 » F1 a victim as Bahrain stamps out smoking

Dead on, Yan. As long as a product is legal, you should have the right to advertise it. One the one hand, governments pass anti-tobacco legislation, but on the other hand they make billions on taxes and duties from the sale of tobacco and alcohol. Can someone offer a better example of shamefaced hypocrisy?

I'm not saying smoking is good, of course it isn't. Any idiot with half a brain knows it's bad for you. But it should be up to the individual (and parents, in the case of minors) to decide whether they want to smoke or not.

And how much would Super Aguri benefit from tobacco advertising at the moment?!?!

I've got to say I do agree with Yan, tobacco and alcohol are legal products and they should be allowed to advertise. There is to much of this nannying, the latest being fast food during kids TV. It is up to the parents to regulate how much fast food their kids eat. Stopping advertising of McDonalds does not stop kids heading down the sweetshop with their dinner money.

A sensible solution would be to make products deemed bad for you carry a government health warning, eg: cigarette commercial, 15 secs advertising, 15 secs Health Warning. This would stop the intrigue and mystery kids associate with cigarettes and alcohol because they are "banned" and let them make an informed choice

You guys are obviously victim to the nanny state where people can only be told what to and what not to do. Cigarette, beer and any other advertising should be allowed anywhere in f1, billboards, tv etc worldwide, its just promotion,its not forcing you to do something, it doesn't even tell you in most cases what the brandname is for. If some people decide to go buy some Marlboro and drink some kingfisher then thats upto them.

Whatever happened to free speach and the right to do things? Its politicaly correct people that help all this 'lets ban everthing' legislation go through. In a few years when its against the law to eat chocolate or cross the road you'll wish you'd wised up earlier.

Tobacco was supposed to be out of F1 several years ago. Good for Bahrain. No country should allow F1 tobacco advertising . And shame on Ferari for not finding another sponsor.

"Despite the ban, most teams appear to have found alternative sources of funding, with only the smallest teams struggling to find the backing needed to compete."

Like Honda?

Gordon Brown wouldnt be able to take the hit from no Fag tax!

Well it is about time the sport went completely tabacco/cigarette advertising/sponsor free!
I remember Williams were the first team to do away with the cigarette sponsor/livery!
How many more years do Ferrari have left with marlboro as a sponsor?
The other way around it is, make smoking completely illegal!
But cannot not see that happening in my life time as there is alot of revinue made from cigarettes!

FooAtari, you forget that Ferrari are "special" to F1 and can do almost whatever they like, and thumb their noses up at the other teams who can't.

Banned in the Sport since 05? Sure I've seen the Ferraris plastered in Marlboro at several races in the last couple of years