Scandal concerning tobacco

Just couple of days ago a scandal occurred at the Parliamentary Healthcare Committee. Alliance for Tobacco Control Chairman Giorgi Bakhturidze stated that certain officials are lobbying for the tobacco industry at the highest level. Bakhturidze called these people death lobbyists, and said that they wanted to delay the implementation of the new law due to come into force in September 2009 which forbids tobacco products being associated with lotteries, awards, prizes or other promotional campaigns.

Through Bakhturidze’s efforts the law will become active from September 1 2009, not 2013 as the ‘death lobbyists’ wanted. Bakhturidze wants the names of the death lobbyists made public. He says these people are manipulating colleagues by citing concerns about fulfilling budgetary liabilities.

The tobacco business contributes GEL 150 million to the budget annually, but it is not difficult to calculate how much damage tobacco products do to society in general and how much the state pays for the healthcare of those who suffer different illnesses deriving from smoking.