Making a case against plain cigarette packaging in the Commercial Court, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Ireland, a distributor of well-known tobacco brands, has argued that being a member of the European Union (EU), Ireland can not introduce plain packaging on its products unilaterally.
The company stated that such an imposition was against EU's harmonisation objectives and could amount to an obstacle to trade between its member states.
JTI said that the new rules that will be implemented next month will also distort and impair the dynamics of competition in the tobacco market and result in a dip in average prices for tobacco products.
The company is seeking High Court orders preventing the Minister for Health, Ireland and the Attorney General from implementing the provisions Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2015 that was cleared by the country recently.
The new rules would mean all cigarettes packaging would have to be uniform in size, shape and design, with the front displaying only the brand name and graphic health-warning images.
JTI's list of brands include Benson and Hedges, Silk Cut, Camel, Hamlet cigars, roll-your-own tobacco products including Amber Leaf and Old Holborn, and pipe tobacco that are supplied to around 3,100 retailers.
Ireland, which was the first country in the world to ban smoking in public places in March 2004, recently become the first country in Europe to pass the plain packaging bill for cigarettes.
The country sees more than 5,200 deaths annually from the effects of smoking and spends more than €1bn (£730m) every year treating tobacco-related diseases, according to a report by the Guardian.
Image: JTI has challenegd the plain cigarette packaging bill in Ireland saying its against EU objectives. Photo: courtesy of Mister GC / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
