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Ivanishvili approves of the state strategy on tobacco

Netgazeti reports that Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has approved the state strategy on the control over the tobacco. The main purpose of the strategy is to ensure a healthy lifestyle of the Georgian population by reducing the usage of tobacco and the second-hand smoke.

The strategy considers preventive measurements like large-scale campaigns, especially through the various media. According to the strategy, no partnership of cooperation is feasible with the representatives of the tobacco industry.

Specific measures will be taken to make the control over tobacco among the priorities on the political agenda. This way a state commission will be created that will ensure coordination, monitoring and control over the implementation of the strategy.

The Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Protection is holding one of the main roles in the tobacco control related process. Moreover, in order to thoroughly implement the strategy a large scale coalition is considered to be created uniting all the state and public sector.

The secretary of the state commission will also take responsibility over the policy of tobacco control, and the regular reports on tobacco usage and its negative effect on health.

In order to ensure effective measures for quitting smoking and dependence on tobacco, relevant treatment will be provided together with the manuals and roadmaps.

To raise public awareness over the issue, various programs will be available regarding the negative impact of smoking and the risks to health.

According to the strategy, it will take some time to fully change the public attitude towards smoking, because despite the “significant progress” this habit is still socially approved in Georgia, while by providing the public with the information about its negative effect would become the precondition for promoting the control over tobacco.