More than 170 countries have agreed on a new international treaty cracking down on the illegal tobacco trade. Representatives of governments and international organizations meeting Monday in Seoul, South Korea, unanimously approved the pact. The protocol creates a new global system requiring non-removable tracking codes on each pack of cigarettes. That is meant to make […]
Global Treaty Set to Fight Illicit Tobacco Trade
Posted November 12th, 2012 at 5:00 am (UTC-5)
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Australian High Court Upholds Plain Cigarette Packaging
Posted August 15th, 2012 at 2:25 am (UTC-5)
Australia’s highest court has ruled that new laws requiring cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging without company logos do not violate the country’s constitution. The court on Wednesday ruled against four tobacco companies that challenged the law, saying the measure violated their intellectual property rights. The companies include British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, […]
Australian High Court Upholds Plain Cigarette Packaging
Posted August 15th, 2012 at 1:40 am (UTC-5)
Australia’s highest court has ruled that new laws requiring cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging without company logos do not violate the country’s constitution. The court on Tuesday ruled against four tobacco companies that challenged the law, saying the measure violated their intellectual property rights. The companies include British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, […]
Nations Agree on Draft Treaty to End Illicit Tobacco Trade
Posted April 4th, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC-5)
More than 130 nations have agreed on a treaty to fight a booming trade in illicit tobacco products that cost governments up to $50 billion a year in tax revenues. A provisional agreement reached Wednesday in Geneva requires manufacturers to be licensed and tobacco packaging to bear markings so that illicit goods can be tracked […]
Obama Congratulates Non-Smokers, Slams Tobacco Companies
Posted November 17th, 2011 at 4:30 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama, a former smoker himself, has congratulated everyone who has taken part in a national day without using tobacco, while slamming tobacco companies for opposing new labeling requirements. In a video message, the president said tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. He said the country has […]
Australia Advances Cigarette Bill, Defying Threats From Big Tobacco
Posted November 10th, 2011 at 8:15 am (UTC-5)
Australia’s parliament moved forward Thursday on a landmark scheme to remove trademarks and advertising from cigarette packages, defying threats of a multi-billion-dollar legal challenge from tobacco companies. The upper house approved the bill and sent it back to the lower chamber for routine approval of several minor amendments. The law, which mandates that cigarettes be […]
Australian Parliament Gets World’s Toughest Anti-Tobacco Bill
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:20 am (UTC-5)
Australia’s government has formally introduced to parliament what it says are the world’s toughest laws on cigarette packaging. Health Minister Nicola Roxon introduced the legislation Wednesday, saying the government will not be deterred by the threat of legal action from major tobacco companies. She said the laws are designed to remove “the last vestige of […]
New Zealand Supports Australia’s Move on Cigarette Labeling
Posted June 28th, 2011 at 9:25 pm (UTC-5)
New Zealand’s government and anti-smoking groups have praised Australia for refusing to back down against tobacco industry threats to challenge in court planned cigarette packaging laws. Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia said Tuesday that New Zealand is watching the situation closely as it considers introducing similar laws. Anti-smoking groups have applauded Australia’s Prime Minister Julia […]
New Graphic Images Warning of Dangers of Tobacco Use
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 3:25 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled a series of graphic images Tuesday that will appear on cigarette packages meant to warn of the dangers of smoking tobacco. The warnings feature pictures of rotting teeth, diseased lungs and dying cancer patients. The images must appear on the top half of the front and back labels […]
New Graphic Images Warning of Dangers of Tobacco Use
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 7:20 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled a series of graphic images Tuesday that will appear on cigarette packages meant to warn of the dangers of smoking tobacco. The warnings feature pictures of rotting teeth, diseased lungs and dying cancer patients. The images must appear on the top half of the front and back labels […]
