Philip Morris cigarette company is threatening take the federal government to court over the proposed laws forcing cigarettes to be sold in plain packs with no brand name or logo.

Prime Minister Gillard says they will fail and intends to press on with the legislation.

The World Health Organisation has recommended to all countries to do what Australia is doing.

It is not a locally-grown crazy idea.

It is the first of what one hopes will be many examples world-wide of the same thing.

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What if the cigarette interests do win?

They may score a few millions or billions of dollars.

The money will come out of taxpayers’ pockets.

Taxpayers will not be pleased, and might well boycott P. Morris-associated brands of cigs and do them a lot of harm.

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If the government wins, it might then take Philip Morris to court and claim a few billions for what it has cost taxpayers to provide hospital beds for the many thousands suffering cigarette-related diseases.

Perhaps Philip Morris could be bankrupted out of existence.

That would be nice.