Historic day in health, as plain tobacco packs hit the shelves

[30.11.12] Finally, 20 years after Cancer Council Australia first recommended plain packaging on the basis of evidence that branded packaging influences smoking take-up, its time has come. From tomorrow, all tobacco retailers in Australia will be required by law to only sell tobacco products in plain packaging. What a great day for public health. Full Article. Source: Paul [...]

Imperial Tobacco’s plain packaging ‘the ultimate sick joke’

[12.9.12] The first cigarettes in plain packaging have hit the major supermarkets – and they don’t comply with the government’s strict new rules. One company, Imperial Tobacco, is using the new packaging to directly challenge the government by telling its Peter Stuyvesant brand customers “it’s what’s on the inside that counts”. Fellow tobacco giant Philip Morris has [...]

Big tobacco loses High Court battle over plain packaging

[15.8.12] The federal government has secured a big win over big tobacco with the High Court ruling Labor’s world-first plain packaging laws are constitutionally valid. The decision is expected to have significant influence globally with both the United Kingdom and New Zealand considering plain packaging. Health experts have hailed the decision as a major victory [...]