SINGAPORE, March 16, 2008 (AFP) - Singapore's strict laws banning tobacco advertisements will apply to the city-state's inaugural Formula One Grand Prix in September, a report said Sunday.

The sport's first-ever night race around Singapore's streets will take place on September 28.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Trade and Industry told the Sunday Times "the publication or display of any acknowledgement of sponsorship of a tobacco company would, as a general rule, be prohibited."

"The F1 teams are aware that they have to abide by the laws of the countries in which they race in," he said, adding "this includes regulations on tobacco advertising."

Tobacco companies have traditionally been huge sponsors of F1 teams but these have reduced significantly in recent years amid moves by authorities, especially in the European Union, to bar such sponsorships.

Singapore has some of the toughest anti-smoking measures in place. Since July 2006, smokers have been barred from lighting up in outdoor eateries and cafes. They can only smoke at designated smoking corners at the
premises.

The smoking ban was extended last year to entertainment outlets including pubs, nightclubs and karaoke lounges as part of a campaign to cut tobacco-related diseases.

Singapore's smoking ban was first introduced in 1970 and extended throughout the 1990s. Smokers are also banned from lighting up in all air-conditioned buildings and establishments.