Tobacco advertising will be banned in Angola once the new Law on Advertising, adopted in parliament and awaiting enactment by the President, comes into force according to information on the website of the Angolan National Assembly, the country’s parliament.

The bill, which was presented to the House by the Minister of Social Communication, José Luís de Matos, in December 2016, applies to all types of advertising, whatever the medium used for publication, with the purpose of promoting or encouraging the consumption or use of goods and services.

In addition to tobacco, the new law prohibits advertising that affects the integrity and independence of the State, national security and public order, associating alcoholic beverages to national symbols, which solicits, induces or urges people to fail to carry out their civic and patriotic duties, disparagingly makes use of the name and map of the country, its institutions, national symbols, religious or historical characters.

The Advertising Act also prohibits advertising that contains, supports or encourages any discrimination on grounds of sex, race, ethnicity, ancestry, language, education, economic situation, social status, orientation, religious and/or political belief or ideological convictions.

The use of the image, name, voice or words of any person or his identification without consent is also prohibited under the approved legislation.

Advertising that appeals or encourages behaviour that is prejudicial to health and consumer safety is also prohibited, due to a lack of or faulty information about the dangers of the product or predictability of potential accidents, as a result of its proper use.

There is also a ban on calling for or encouraging behaviour that negatively affects the environment, promotion of goods likely to endanger the natural habitat, the abuse of consumer safety standards, except in cases where it is justified for educational reasons. (macauhub)