Court win on tobacco a watershed: Roxon

15 Aug 2012, 7:40 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Attorney-General Nicola Roxon says the High Court ruling on tobacco packaging is a relief for parents worried about kids picking up the smoking habit.

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Attorney-General Nicola Roxon says the federal government's High Court victory on plain packaging is a watershed moment for tobacco control globally.

"Australia's actions are being closely watched by governments around the world," she said on Wednesday.

"The message to the rest of the world is big tobacco can be taken on and beaten.

"Without brave governments willing to take the fight up to big tobacco they'd still have us believing that tobacco is neither harmful nor addictive."

Ms Roxon said in a statement Wednesday's court ruling was a relief for every parent who worried about their child picking up the deadly and addictive habit of smoking.

It is thought the plain packaging will be especially effective in reducing smoking rates among young people who are not already addicted.

"No longer when a smoker pulls out a packet of cigarettes will that packet be a mobile billboard," Ms Roxon said.

The attorney-general called on big tobacco to now drop international efforts to curb plain packaging.

Phillip Morris Asia is challenging Canberra's laws through the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.

A number of countries have also taken a case to the World Trade Organisation claiming the legislation breaches Australia's commitment under global trade rules.

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Your Comments

What a Joke!

True Blue Ozzie - from Gladstone Q, 9 months ago

Packaging wont stop teenagers and young people from smoking! Fools teenages will try any drug legal and illegal or drink anything. It goes hand in hand with being a teenager! As a teenager my self once, we expreimented with what ever we could get our hands on, no substance was left out, and todays young are no different. What a lot of bull dust, smokers do know the risks of smoking are, but it's our free choice to do so and no one else has the right to tell us not to. People's freedoms are gone.

Awesome

J - from Sydney, 9 months ago

Gold Gold Gold for Australia not against smoking, that's a personal choice But all for sticking it to multi-national tobacco companies whose ONLY aim is to sell highly addictive cancer causing drugs for billions in profit.

What a waste of time

James - from Melbourne, 9 months ago

Kids don't buy smokes because have pretty packaging, they buy them because they want to smoke. I believe this is a waste of time/money and is completely useless. The statistics won't change, watch them.

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