May 31 marks the World No Tobacco Day founded by the World Health Organization. The Public Defender of Georgia welcomes the tightening of tobacco control measures in the country over the last 7 years, which should be considered an effective step to prevent one of the important threats to the health of the population.

According to the information received from the Revenue Service, as one of the supervisory bodies responsible for the effective enforcement of tobacco control legislation, the protection of minors from the harmful effects of tobacco is still a significant challenge. In 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, the majority of offences (both first and repeat) were related to the sale of tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or devices intended for tobacco use in educational institutions and their adjacent areas within a radius of 50 meters. The mentioned circumstance once again proves the fact that the main goal of the tobacco industry is to ensure easy access to tobacco products for minors. The Public Defender spoke in detail about the above dangers in the Special Report on the Situation of Tobacco Control.

It remains a challenge to control the use of e-cigarettes and vape tobacco in closed establishments, which are also considered tobacco products by law. To some extent, this is related to the lack of public awareness of the products and improper supervision by the authorized institutions.

The Public Defender emphasizes the importance of continued effective monitoring of tobacco legislation by the authorized bodies, including the effective protection of minors from the harmful effects of tobacco and the control of the use of electronic cigarettes and vape tobacco in closed spaces.