Colombia’s Senate Tuesday approved an anti-tobacco law that will no longer
allow street vendors to sell cigarettes from the pack and bans
cigarette ads on the street and at sporting events.
The new legislation is a blow for organizers of Colombia’s Professional Football League, also known as the Copa Mustang. The League is sponsored by Mustang cigarettes.
Now they will be given a year to find a new sponsor and change the event’s name.
President of the League’s first division Ramon Jesurun expressed his disagreement with the decision.
“We respect the view but we don’t share it. I think that in our country health and education are financed by liquor, gambling and tobacco,” he said.
The legislation will also require that 30 percent of the surface of cigarette packs display images demonstrating how smoking damages your health.