19th May 2016 12:07
LONDON (Alliance News) - Tobacco giants have lost their High Court challenge over the lawfulness of the UK government's new plain packaging rules - the day before they are due to come into force.
A ruling in the case brought by four of the world's biggest firms was given in London on Thursday by Justice Green, who heard the case in December.
Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands and Japan Tobacco International had challenged the legality of the new "standardised packaging" regulations - due to come into force on Friday - in a judicial review action.
But Justice Green dismissed all their grounds of challenge.
Heath Secretary Jeremy Hunt had contested the case arguing that the regulations are lawful.
The judge's decision comes after Europe's highest court recently rejected a series of legal challenges.
Earlier this month, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the Tobacco Products Directive, which was adopted in 2014 but has been held up by the challenges, is lawful.
Under the directive, picture health warnings must cover 65% of the front and back of every packet of cigarettes, with additional warnings on the top of the pack.
It includes a ban on menthol cigarettes and "lipstick-style" packs aimed at women and a ban on promotional statements such as "this product is free of additives" or "is less harmful than other brands".
The directive also allowed the UK to go further and introduce its own regulations requiring all tobacco packaging to be uniformly olive green with large images designed to act as health warnings.
By Cathy Gordon and John Aston, Press Association
Source: Press Association
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