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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Billboard Firm To Halt Tobacco Ads Regardless Of National Timetable

Associated Press

The company that owns the vast majority of billboards in King County has agreed not to display tobacco advertising on any of them.

Under the agreement reached last week and announced Monday, AK Media/NW will remove any tobacco ads from its billboards effective Jan. 1.

A ban on outdoor tobacco advertising already is part of a national agreement reached last month among states, private attorneys and the tobacco industry.

That agreement, however, must still be ratified by Congress and could take some time to become effective, so company and King County officials touted their accord as the first in the state and possibly the country.

“AK Media/NW has always been concerned about underage smoking and has been planning for this day for some time,” company president Randy Swain said.

The agreement follows a May 30 decision by the King County Board of Health to ban tobacco advertising on billboards within 2,000 feet of schools, playgrounds and parks with playgrounds. That ban, which would still have allowed tobacco advertising on more than 40 percent of AK Media/NW’s billboards, was scheduled to take effect Aug. 15.

AK Media/NW’s own policy banning tobacco advertising within 500 feet of those locations, as well as child-care centers and churches, will remain in effect through the end of the year. That will allow the company to meet its existing contractual obligations to advertisers.

With about 1,500 billboards, AK Media/NW owns all but a half-dozen or so of the billboards in King County, company spokeswoman Rosanne Marks said. Tobacco ads are on about 15 percent of the billboards, she said.

The county health board is scheduled to consider the agreement on July 18.