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National Center for Disease Control and Public
Health is pleased to announce that the efforts that Government of Georgia has put forth for
advancing tobacco control measures on national level are praised in the Statement
of Mr Steve Brine, Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the British
Public Health Minister, made to the UK Parliament on 19 July 2018 during a
debate on the new Tobacco Control Plan for England. Mr. Brine said:
„…We are funding the FCTC
secretariat with £15 million over the spending review period to support tobacco
control in 15 low and middle-income countries. I am very proud of that work,
and I am pleased to say that we are already having an impact.
Georgia introduced
smoke-free legislation and a ban on advertising on 1 May. It seems strange to
talk about banning advertising as a new measure, given how long a ban has been
in place in our country, but it shows that other parts of the world have a long
way to go to catch up. I am very proud that we are using our experience and our
evidence-based experience to help countries such as Georgia to do so. I want to
place on the record my congratulations to Georgia…“
Georgia, along with
selected other 14 mid- and low-income countries who are Parties to the
Convention, is one of the recipient Parties to the FCTC2030 Project, an
initiative of the WHO FCTC Secretariat to help countries with result oriented
measures to advance implementation of the FCTC on the national level. This
project is financed with £15 million by the
UK Government. National Center for Disease Control and Public Health is the
main partner organization in the project and since last ear series of advanced
measures are being implanted for effective implementation of newly adopted
tobacco control national legislation. It is noteworthy that 3 months after the
introduction of the smoking ban in enclosed public place compliance rate is up
to 96% and there is an overwhelming public support of 85%.
We would like to extend
our sincere gratitude to the WHO FCTC Secretariat and the UK Government for
this outstanding and utmost important support for our public health. To reduce
tobacco related health and economic burden and meet the UN Sustainable
Development Goals in Georgia is only possible through international
partnerships, sharing of evidence-based practices and solidarity.