World Health Organization Awards Georgian MP for Anti-Tobacco Law

In connection with World No Tobacco Day 2018, celebrated on May 31, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected several organizations and people to receive a World No Tobacco Day Award. Among them is Akaki Zoidze, Chair of the Healthcare Committee in the Parliament of Georgia.

The organization says that as Chair of the Healthcare and Social Issues Committee, Zoidze led the process of endorsing tobacco control legislation, which was adopted by the Parliament in May 2017 and entered into force on May 1.

As a result, Georgia has a comprehensive tobacco control law which includes:

•a prohibition on smoking in public places

•a comprehensive ban on the display of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

•a requirement that pictorial health warnings cover 65% of tobacco product packaging

•a requirement that tobacco products have plain packaging

•regulation of e-cigarettes with nicotine as tobacco products.

“Dr Zoidze led negotiations with the executive and legislative branches of the Georgian government, worked closely with the media, and coordinated work with international and civil society tobacco control organizations. Dr Zoidze was successful in overcoming the hesitation of Georgian decision-makers, and addressing the frustration of society after many unsuccessful attempts during previous years to change the legislation,” the WHO stated.

The WHO underlines that Zoidze’s “critical contribution to substantially strengthening tobacco control in Georgia and exemplary dedication to placing health at the top of the political agenda is inspiring for policy-makers around the world."

By Thea Morrison