Parliament approves tobacco-control legislation
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The Georgian Parliament has adopted changes to the country’s tobacco-control legislation.
The amendments were approved at its third reading with 85 votes in favour and one against yesterday.
The changes will come into force stage by stage during and after 2018.
Under the amendments, from January of 2018 a complete ban on smoking in all indoor public places (excluding casinos, cigar bars, prisons and pretrial detention centres) will be imposed.
From the same date it will be mandatory for cigarettes to be packaged in a simple manner and have photos of tobacco-caused diseases on it.
From May of 2018 the advertising of tobacco products will be prohibited.
From the same date it will become mandatory to air anti-tobacco ads before showing movies that feature smoking scenes.
From September of 2018 shops will be banned from placing cigarettes in a showcase.
International experts praised the amendments and said they are "a significant step forward in saving lives, growing the economy and further integrating the country with the European Union”.
The United Nations (UN) welcomes the efforts of the Government and the Parliament of Georgia to address tobacco smoking – an issue on which Georgia is one of the worst performing countries.
Smoker and non-smoker prisoners will be placed in separate cells in order to properly protect the rights of non-smoking inmates, Georgia’s Ministry of Corrections reported today.
Georgia shares its experience at a global session in US
Georgia is joining forces with other countries in the world to create the right policy for tobacco taxation and to reduce tobacco consumption.
Smoking is only allowed at a person’s own home, prisons, licensed cigar bars, casinos, airport transit zones and outside. Smoking is only allowed at a person’s own home, prisons, licensed cigar bars, casinos, airport transit zones and outside.
110 violations of the rules of tobacco consumption have been recorded by patrol inspectors since the enactment of the new regulations on tobacco control until June 7.
Cigarette prices have increased by an average of 50 tetri in Georgia following amendments to the Tax Code that came into play on January 1, providing for an increase of ad valorem tax on cigarettes from 10% to 30%.
Starting today, smoking is prohibited inside all areas of all stadiums in Georgia which have administration.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the Georgian parliament to oppose a legislative act that would weaken tobacco control policy. A bill currently tabled in parliament would allow the sale of tobacco in quantities as little as 15 grams. WHO says that this will increase the availability of tobacco especially for young people and less well-off individuals.
The United Nations representation in Georgia has called on the country’s parliament to take immediate steps for ensuring the plain packaging regulation on tobacco products and avoid another postponement in the long-delayed requirement.