Attack on Australia: Tobacco industry challenges to plain packaging

The Australian Government passed legislation in 2011 making tobacco manufacturers use plain packaging. This legislation standardized design packaging on all brands of tobacco products. “Of the three billion people 15 years and older living in the 14 countries covered by the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), plus the United Kingdom and the United States, 852 million were active tobacco users.” Also, women are starting to smoke at the same age as men with it becoming harder to quit.

The main goals of plain packaging are to, “reduce the appeal of tobacco products to consumers, increase the effectiveness of health warnings on the retail packaging of tobacco products, and reduce the ability of the retail packaging of tobacco products to mislead consumers about the harmful effects of smoking or using tobacco products.” 

Major tobacco companies in Australia are fighting the fact that this legislation would devalue or cause an acquisition of their trademarks and branding. Another issue that arose is that Phillip Morris Asia is suing Australia. Additionally, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Ukraine are suing Australia. Their arguments are economical and political. Honduras and the Dominican Republic are large exporters of tobacco products to Australia so this legislation could affect their economic well-being. The final issue stems from industry lobbying to save trade and investment agreements.

There are three common factors in all of these issues with plain packaging. They involve the intent of the policy, its economic consequences, and the authority by which it is implemented. This plain packaging legislation is trying to reduce tobacco harm.

http://www.palgrave-journals.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/jphp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/jphp201318a.html