4 MAY 2018 - Georgia introduced the first part of the country’s new comprehensive tobacco control law on Tuesday, 1 May 2018. The new law, which was passed by the Parliament of Georgia last year, was warmly welcomed by the Convention Secretariat. Andrew Black, the Team Leader for Development Assistance at the Convention Secretariat said “we send our congratulations to the Government and Parliament of Georgia for introducing their strong new tobacco control law, which will make a vast contribution to promoting public health and development in the country. Georgia’s new law will save lives”.

Georgia’s new law will be introduced progressively. On 1 May 2018, measures to prevent smoking in enclosed work and public places, and to end tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship came into force. Other measures that will come into force on a later date include the requirement for picture health warnings on tobacco packaging, ending the visible display of tobacco products outside shops, protection for public health from the vested and commercial interests of the tobacco industry and plain packaging for tobacco products.

Georgia is one of the countries involved in the Convention Secretariat’s FCTC 2030 project. Through this project that is generously funded by the United Kingdom, the Convention Secretariat has been providing technical assistance to Georgia to support the successful implementation of the new law.

In addition, as part of the support provided under the FCTC 2030 project, Georgia received a WHO FCTC investment case to understand the wider economic and development impact of tobacco use in the country. This assessment found that tobacco costs the Georgian economy GEL 824.9 million each year, equivalent to 2.43% of Georgia’s GDP in 2016.

http://www.who.int/fctc/mediacentre/news/2018/georgia-introduces-tough-new-tobacco-law/en/