Public Health and Plain Packaging of Cigarettes

Book excerpt: 'Voon, Mitchell, and Liberman offer a penetrating analysis of the monumental struggle against smoking in the 21st century – the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Their book is undoubtedly the seminal scholarly examination of plain packaging of tobacco products. "Big Tobacco" is challenging plain packaging rules in trade, investment, and constitutional forums around the world. It is simply impossible to understand the law, policy, and profound social implications of tobacco control without this masterful text.' – Lawrence O. Gostin, Georgetown University and World Health Organization Centre on Public Health Law and Human Rights, US 'This book is a "must read" for anyone interested in tobacco regulation at the international level. Written by an impressive array of experts in a variety of fields, it deals with international rules on trade, investment, intellectual property, and public health, as well as constitutional issues in Australia – at the vanguard of plain packaging of tobacco – and other jurisdictions. It is an informative and timely guide to current debates on these important issues.' – Lorand Bartels, University of Cambridge, UK 'This book provides a definitive account of Australia's pioneering public health legislation on the plain packaging of tobacco products. the regime was designed to implement the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and address the impacts of "the tobacco epidemic". A number of nation states plan on emulating Australia's exemplary regime. In a panic, the tobacco industry has sought to challenge the plain packaging of tobacco products under both Australian constitutional and administrative law, and international trade, investment, and intellectual property laws. This book provides a lucid, thoughtful, and intelligent analysis of the "mega-litigation" over the plain packaging of tobacco products, and highlights the necessity for public health measures in this area. It is a timely and prescient work.' – Matthew Rimmer, the Australian National University College of Law and ACIPA, Australia Tobacco use represents a critical global health challenge. the World Health Organization estimates that tobacco kills nearly 6 million people a year, with the toll expected to rise to 8 million annually over the next two decades. This detailed book, written by health and legal experts from institutions around the globe, examines legal issues arising from Australia's world-first introduction of mandatory plain packaging of tobacco products. the book offers an in-depth exploration of relevant domestic and international legal questions in fields such as intellectual property, constitutional law, health, trade and investment. the authors' analysis sheds light on broader questions relating to the capacity of governments to regulate tobacco products and the tobacco industry, and to regulate in the interests of public health more generally. the answers to these questions are of vital interest not only to Australia but also to the international community, with states' regulatory sovereignty increasingly being challenged in local and international courts and tribunals. This timely study is designed to assist international organisations, NGOs, policymakers, and scholars in law, medicine and health-related areas. Health professionals and advisors will also find much of interest here.