RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Several public health organizations are asking the Orange Bowl and the NCAA to pull a three-year sponsorship deal with a Florida cigar company.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and nine other groups say Camacho Cigars’ sponsorship of the football games shouldn’t be allowed under federal law.
The sponsorship deal includes a large presence at several game-day events for the maker of Camacho and Baccarat The Game brand cigars, including lounges where fans can light up. The agreement is for the 2012-2014 Orange Bowl games and the 2013 BCS National Championship.
A 2009 law gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products like cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, but it has not yet asserted its power over cigars. The FDA prohibits tobacco companies from sponsoring events using brand names.
Source: Associated Press
