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 packaging warning messages TO HEALTH" in English. Paan, gutkha and tobacco packets carried the warning "TOBACCO IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH" in Hindi and English. The law later changed. According to the new law, cigarette packets were required to carry pictorial warnings of a skull or scorpion along with the text "SMOKING KILLS" and "TOBACCO CAUSES MOUTH CANCER" in both Hindi and English. "The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules 2008" requiring graphic health warnings came into force on 31 May 2008. Under the law, all tobacco products were required to display graphic pictures, such as pictures of diseased lungs, and