[i][b]What do you think of this for government overstepping a consumer or products rights?[/b][/i] CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia has urged other countries to adopt the world's toughest law on cigarette promotion, which was upheld Wednesday by the country's highest court and prohibits tobacco companies from displaying their logos on cigarette packs. The High Court rejected a challenge by tobacco companies who argued the value of their trademarks will be destroyed if they are no longer able to display their distinctive colors, brand designs and logos on cigarette packs. Starting in December, packs will instead come in a uniformly drab shade of olive and feature graphic health warnings and images of cancer-riddled mouths, blinded eyeballs and sickly children. The government hopes the new packs will make smoking as unglamorous as possible. [img]http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xd8FoVX8gPj1z7g9FyvMkA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9OTQyO2NyPTE7Y3c9MjE1OTtkeD0wO2R5PTA7Zmk9dWxjcm9wO2g9Mjc1O3E9ODU7dz02MzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2012-08-14T224731Z_1093943872_GM2E88F0IS101_RTRMADP_3_AUSTRALIA-TOBACCO.JPG[/img] "Many other countries around the world ... will take heart from the success of this decision today," Attorney General Nicola Roxon told reporters after the court ruling. The cigarette makers argued that the government would unfairly benefit from the law by using cigarette packs as a platform to promote its own message, without compensating the tobacco companies. Australia's constitution says the government can only acquire the property of others on "just terms." The court, which ordered the tobacco companies to pay the government's legal fees, withheld its reasons for the judgment on Wednesday. They'll be released later this year. Philip Morris said it would continue to pursue compensation through the terms of a bilateral investment treaty between Australia and Hong Kong. "There is still a long way to go before all the legal questions about plain packaging are fully explored and answered," company spokesman Chris Argent said in a statement. "Governments can take on big tobacco and win and it's worth countries looking again at what the next appropriate step is for them," she added. British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International are worried that the law will set a global precedent that could slash billions of dollars from the values of their brands. They challenged the new rules on the grounds that they violate intellectual property rights and devalue their trademarks. Complete article is [url=http://news.yahoo.com/australian-court-oks-logo-ban-cigarette-packs-004107919--finance.html]Here[/url]