Tobacco Industry nightmare, now a reality

Australia has won an international legal battle to uphold its world-leading tobacco control measures, with Philip Morris failing in its long-running attempt to challenge plain packaging laws under a bilateral trade agreement with Hong Kong.

Action on Smoking and Health NZ (ASH) congratulate the Australian Government on their stand to back themselves and their decision on implementing Plain Pack Cigarettes, and now (as expected) have won their case against the tobacco industry.

The tribunal made a unanimous decision agreeing with Australia’s position that it has no jurisdiction to hear Philip Morris’s claim.

ASH Director Stephanie Erick says, “This is great news, this decision can give NZ greater confidence to pass Standardised (Plain) Packaging for immediate implementation.”

Research among young adult kiwi’s report that larger graphic health warnings are significantly more likely to help those who want to stop smoking. Furthermore, NZ research shows standardised packaging and dissuasive cigarette sticks can also deter people from ever starting or relapsing.

The recent 2015 NZ Health Survey results reported a very slow decrease in smoking rates and continued high smoking rates among Maori, Pacific and young adults.

“Smoking in Australia is falling in adults, in children and by tobacco volume sales,” said Australia’s Public Health Association chief executive, Michael Moore.
Australia has monitored plain packaging and published scientific research has shown that plain packaging works.

Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole says, “NZ’s Standardised Packaging legislation needs to be urgently finalised as part of the process of achieving the Government’s Smokefree 2025.”

Professor Mike Daube, who chaired the Australian government’s expert committee that recommended plain packaging, said the tobacco companies were “desperate to prevent plain packaging here and internationally because they know it works”.

ENDS

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