British American Tobacco (BAT) asked Australia's High Court on Thursday to declare a plain cigarette packaging law as unconstitutional and invalid for violating its trademark.

With the move, BAT is hoping to stop the implementation of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act, which takes effect December 2012. Under the law passed on Nov. 21, cigarette packs should be dark green in color, without the manufacturer's logo, the brand name and cigarette variety in plain white typeface, and showing images of persons and body parts diseased due to smoking.

"As a legal company selling a legal product we have consistently said we will defend our valuable intellectual property on behalf of our shareholders as any other company would," BAT spokesman Scott McIntyre said in a statement, according to ABC News. "If the same type of legislation was introduced for a beer brewing company or a fast food chain, then they'd be taking the government to court and we're no different."

Health minister Nicola Roxon is now facing two opponents to the plain packaging law. Last month, Philip Morris Asia asked the international arbitration court in Singapore to suspend the law and order the Australian government to compensate it for the business losses it stands to suffer.

Imperial Tobacco Group PLC (IMT.LN) also plans to sue the Australian government.

Australia is the first country to use plain packaging in the fight against smoking and tobacco brands. The legal battles will serve as a test case from which other governments can take their cue on how to stop smoking addiction and the risk of cigarettes to health.

British American Tobacco takes the Australian government to court over the plain cigarette packaging law.