Georgia celebrates International Anti-Tobacco Day on May 31

Georgia: Every year since 1987, on May 31, the International Day of Anti-Tobacco has been celebrated worldwide to draw attention to the tobacco epidemic and its serious consequences.

The Ombudsman of Georgia welcomes the tightening of tobacco control legislation in 2017-2019, which should be considered a practical step to address one of the critical threats to the population’s health.

However, in this regard, the bill adopted by the Parliament on May 29, 2024, in Tax Code by three hearings, reducing the excise rate for 1 kilogram of tobacco from 60 to 30 Gel can be negatively evaluated. The change is contrary to the principles set forth by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and Article 6 of the Convention, which states that the supporting parties recognize that the tariff and tax measures represent an effective and significant way to reduce tobacco use across different categories of the population, particularly among young people.

A few years ago, the Georgian Public Ombudsman pointed out the dangers of easy access to tobacco products for minors in a special report on the “situation in the field of tobacco control.” Therefore, it is sad to see changes in legislation that contradict the purpose of reducing access to tobacco products for the health care of lawfully recognized citizens.

The Ombudsman of Georgia emphasizes the importance of continuing effective monitoring of tobacco legislation by competent authorities, including adequate protection of minors from the harmful effects of tobacco and controlling the use of e-cigarettes and smoking in closed spaces, and hopes that the Georgian parliament will not support it in the future The changes that will contribute Increasing the availability of tobacco products.

International Anti-Tobacco Day

International Anti-Tobacco Day is celebrated every May 31. It is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce its consumption.