Cigarette Packaging with Warnings, Australia

British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, Philip Morris and Imperial Tobacco took their fight against the drab green boxes - designed to deter smokers - to the full bench of the High Court in April. But in a win for the Federal Government, a majority ruling by the High Court today dismissed their case. Responding to the judgment, British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) said tobacco plain packaging would lead to a spike in illegal cigarette sales. BATA spokesman Scott McIntyre said the company still believed the Government had no right to remove their intellectual property and was extremely disappointed by the court's ruling. The case will be of enormous interest around the world as other jurisdictions such as the UK and New Zealand contemplate plain packaging laws. The Australian Council on Smoking and Health said there would be global ramifications. President Mike Daube, who chaired the Government's expert committee that recommended plain packaging, said global tobacco companies opposed plain packaging ferociously because they knew other countries would follow Australia's lead. "We know from the companies' own internal documents that packaging is a crucial part of their marketing,'' Professor Daube said. "They have now lost their last means of promoting smoking to adults and children. "This truly is a life-saving victory for public health.'' Cancer Council's Kylie Lindorff said the packets had been the last bastion for tobacco company advertising. "The industry have put all their resources into the packets,'' she said. "They know this has an impact so this is a great outcome for public health.'' A joint release by Attorney General Nicola Roxon and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek called the win a "victory for all those families who have lost someone'' to cigarettes. "No longer when a smoker pulls out a packet of cigarettes will that packet be a mobile billboard,'' they said. "This decision is a relief for every parent who worries about their child picking up this deadly and addictive habit.'' The pair also acknowledged a "watershed moment for tobacco control around the world''. "Australia's actions are being closely watched by governments around the world, including by Norway, Uruguay, UK, EU, NZ, France, South Africa and China,'' their statement said.