UK: Tobacco firms challenge law

PHILIP Morris International and British American Tobacco filed lawsuits to challenge a new UK law that will strip cigarette packs of most branding and artwork. The tobacco companies claimed the so-called plain packaging law, which comes into effect a year from now, is excessive. “We respect the government’s authority to regulate in the public interest, but wiping out trademarks simply goes too far,” Marc Firestone, general counsel of Philip Morris, said on Friday. – Bloomberg