Australia's highest court has endorsed cigarette plain-packaging laws that will force tobacco companies to remove branding from their products.
Tobacco companies British American Tobacco, Britain's Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco challenged the laws in Australia's high court, claiming the rules were unconstitutional because they effectively extinguished the companies' intellectual property rights.
The court found Australia's laws to force companies to remove all branding and sell tobacco only in generic olive green packets, which also carry graphic health warnings, were legal and did not breach trademark rights.
The laws, the toughest in the world, are in line with World Health Organisation recommendations and are being watched closely by Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and India, which are considering similar measures. » | Reuters in Canberra | Wednesday, August 15, 2012
