August 18, 2012

Australian Court OKs Logo Ban on Cigarette Packs


http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/australian-court-oks-logo-ban-cigarette-packs-17007050#.UDADteeRq86

Australia's highest court on Wednesday upheld the world's toughest law on cigarette promotion, meaning tobacco companies will be prohibited from displaying their logos on cigarette packs that will instead feature images of cancer-riddled mouths, blinded eyeballs and sickly children.

The High Court rejected a challenge by tobacco companies who argued the value of their trademarks will be destroyed if they are no longer able to display their distinctive colors, brand designs and logos on packs of cigarettes.

Starting in December, packs will instead come in a uniformly drab shade of olive and feature dire health warnings and graphic photographs of smoking's health effects. The government, which has urged other countries to adopt similar rules, hopes the new packs will make smoking as unglamorous as possible.

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