Plain tobacco packaging firms were worried the Australian plain packaging legislation might set a global precedent. In July 2012 it was reported that the American lobbying organisation American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) had launched a worldwide campaign against plain packaging of cigarettes. With the backing of tobacco companies and other corporate interests, it was targeting governments planning to introduce bans on cigarette branding, including the UK and Australia. Tobacco companies were also reported to have provided legal advice and funding to Ukraine and Honduras governments to launch a complaint in the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the grounds that the Australian legislation is
Tobacco products Tobacco products Tobacco is the agricultural product of the leaves of plants in the genus "Nicotiana". All species of "Nicotiana" contain the addictive drug nicotine—a stimulant and sedative contained in all parts of the plants except the seeds—which occurs in varying amounts depending on the species and variety cultivated. See types of tobacco and curing of tobacco for more information. The vast majority of commercially available tobacco is derived from the species "Nicotiana tabacum", although it is also produced from "Nicotiana alata", and to a lesser extent "Nicotiana clevelandii", "Nicotiana longiflora", and "Nicotiana rustica", among others. Once tobacco has been