UN hails Australian court decision against ‘desperate’ tobacco industry
August 16, 2012: The United Nations health agency on Wednesday applauded the decision
by Australia’s High Court to dismiss a legal challenge from the tobacco industry targeting
the country’s new restrictive tobacco marketing laws. In a statement strongly welcoming
what she called a “landmark” ruling, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General
Margaret Chan called on other countries to follow Australia’s example and adopt an
equally tough stance on tobacco marketing.
Australia is now on track to becoming
the first country to prohibit branding on packs of cigarettes, requiring instead drab,
olive-green packaging, through a law which will come into effect as soon as December
2012. “With Australia’s victory, public health enters a brave new world of tobacco
control,” Ms. Chan said, noting that the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco
products would be “a highly effective way to counter industry’s ruthless marketing
tactics.”
As of 2005, the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control requires
its 170 member countries to take effective steps in reducing demand and supply for
tobacco products, including measures protecting people from exposure to tobacco smoke,
counteracting illicit trade, and banning advertising, promotion and sponsorship. “The
lawsuits filed by Big Tobacco look like the death throes of a desperate industry,”
continued Ms. Chan, who also expressed hope that the decision would set off a global
legal “domino effect” on tobacco related issues.
“The evidence of the positive
health impact of plain packaging compiled by Australia’s High Court will benefit other
countries in their efforts to develop and implement strong tobacco control measures
to protect the health of their people and to stand resolute against the advances of
the tobacco industry,” she added.
Tobacco use, which causes up to 6 million
annual deaths globally, is considered to be one of the most preventable public health
threats faced by world governments. According to WHO estimates, if stronger action
to limit tobacco exposure is not taken, the death toll could potentially increase
to 8 million people a year.