(Motorsports news) In April of this year, the Dutch government added its name to a growing list of European nations that have prohibited the sale of all nicotine pouches due to health concerns, particularly the ease with which children can get addictive snus pouches and vapes.
One of the brands British American Tobacco, which sponsors McLaren, has created is Velo. Its goal is to shift consumers’ attention away from cigarettes and toward tobacco-free nicotine products like Velo’s flavored nicotine pouches or the Vuse brand’s e-cigarettes.
Importantly, though, Dutch legislation prohibiting the promotion of nicotine packs is still under development, so McLaren may legally continue to carry its Velo logo in Zandvoort. A team representative told that “all branding carried on McLaren race cars fully complies with regulatory requirements and advertising standards of each country we race in.”
A group of Dutch health organizations, notably the Dutch Heart Foundation and the KWF Dutch Cancer Society, were inspired by that legal void to file a formal complaint with the Dutch Advertising Code Committee. Carla van Gils, director of KWF Dutch Cancer Society, said in a press release, “It just goes to show again how the tobacco industry is doing everything in its power to keep young people addicted in order to keep this sickening and deadly business going.”
We think it’s strange that a prohibited product can be advertised. Only seven races in 2023 will feature the major Velo logo of McLaren, as OKX will take its place there. As part of a fan competition in Zandvoort, the brand will be displayed as “LOVE” on the vehicle. 60 fans will have their names added to the MCL60 raced by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri thanks to a random draw the business conducted on its social media networks. A trip to the Dutch Grand Prix will also be awarded to one contestant.
In many nations, smoking substitutes remain mainly uncontrolled. The Food and Drug Administration in the US has outlawed the sale of any nicotine products to individuals under the age of 21. Contrary to vapes, nicotine pouches can lawfully be sold to anyone under the age of 18 in the UK because they are not currently considered to be tobacco-related items. Only spectators over the age of 18 were allowed to participate in Velo’s Dutch Grand Prix fan competition.
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