Documents in plain view

The US-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) has won a legal battle in the UK where it received authorization from the High Court in London to make public the documents used in a recent case over standardized tobacco packaging, according to a story in the British Medical Journal relayed by the US-based TMA.

The High Court ruled that the documents submitted to the court by tobacco companies challenging the proposed new law, and those from the health secretary defending it, should be released to the tobacco control organization.

The story said that British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, Imperial Tobacco, JT International and Gallaher had challenged planned UK regulations introducing standardized packaging for tobacco products.

They had argued that the regulations were unlawful under international, EU, and domestic laws.

The High Court ruled against them in 2015, and appeals were unsuccessful.