Posted on 08/16/2012 3:31:01 PM PDT by OneVike
With the recent Australia's High Court dismissal of the appeal by tobacco companies against a law requiring all cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging, Australia is now on track to become the first country to prohibit branding on packs of cigarettes.
Reports say Australia's court has dismissed a legal challenge from the tobacco industry targeting the Country's new restrictive tobacco marketing laws.
The ruling means that from December 1 companies will be banned from displaying brand designs on cigarette packets. The packaging will require only olive-green packaging.
Today, the World Health Organization strongly welcomed the "landmark" ruling.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan called on other countries to follow Australia's example and join in the global fight to cut deaths from smoking.
"With Australia's victory, public health enters a brave new world of tobacco control." - Ms. Chan
She notes that the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products would be "a highly effective way to counter industry's ruthless marketing tactics."
The lawsuits filed by Big Tobacco look like the death throes of a desperate industry, Ms. Chan added.
Ms. Chan also expressed hope that the decision would set off a global legal "domino effect" on tobacco Related issues.
In June this year, killing almost six million people...(excerpt)
(Excerpt) Read more at newsblaze.com ...
Always thought that would be the way to kill an industry. Force something to be generic and you pretty much destroy the capitalistic motive.
Yes, talk about the specter of the old of Soviet Union.
I think the best bet for the tobacco companies in Australia is to print and sell lots of books and movies about US Prohibition-era gangsters. The not very subtle message being, “This is what happens when the government tries to prohibit things.”
And once that ball got rolling, start cranking out propaganda about the “scourge” of tobacco smuggling, and how those who break the law end up rich and powerful. And yes, how “beautiful people” just happen to smoke cigarettes.
As long as it is produced by a company with no direct ties to the tobacco companies it will be hard to outlaw.
As I type, I'm looking at part of this year's harvest drying.
It's still legal. So far.
/johnny
I know pot grows great in the area of the country I live in, but would you know if tobacco grows as well here in California?
I don’t smoke, either kind, but I am curious.
“-—killing almost six million people every year”
—
Where on earth do they get these figures?
Ping
Just where are the piles of dead people????
It should grow well anywhere other stuff grows well. It's grown all over the world.
/johnny
Doesn't stop the recreational use of soft and hard drugs or the profit level. It does come one step closer to criminalizing a legal substance. For now, it remains procedural crime (improper labeling).
I make my own nasal tobacco from shade leaf and burley, when the shtf we might be kings
/johnny
That’s the only logical answer.
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful summer and say hello to S.for me.
Thanks Mears, and back at ya! :-)
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