Medical NGOs Alliance Open Announcement

To:
President of Georgia
Mr. Eduard Shevardnadze

Head of Parliament
Mrs. Nino Burdjanadze

State Ministry
Mr. Avtandil Djorbenadze

The WHO as the leading cause of the early death considers tobacco active and passive smoking. In Georgia, where the production, contraband, trading, advertisement and abuse of the falsified low quality tobacco products untested on hygienic normative, is unimaginably high, the tendency of mean lifetime declining would progress fatherly. Smokers are becoming affected and consequently dying in the optimal age (45-65 years) of professional and personal development, when one's activity brings the maximal benefit. That's way tobacco significantly hazards the world economically and obstacles the rhythm of its development. It's been a long time, that this problem passed the borders of health care and acquired the significance of world's global social importance. Unfortunately the population life quality further aggravation, significant person/life loses, important economical damage and country development blocking could not be avoided in nearest decades.

Medical NGOs Alliance supports the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Defense Order # 310/N from August 16, 2001 on: Ratification of limiting accepted content levels of toxic substances, nicotine and tar in tobacco product and it's smoke, which estimates the acceptable concentrations of tar and nicotine in tobacco products and obligates the tobacco producing and importing companies to consider them.

The order was published on August 23, 2001 in Georgian Legislation Bulletin N 89 and consequently, the tobacco producing and importing companies had an enough time to transfer their activity toward the new standards.

The new standards of tar and nicotine concentrations in tobacco are satisfying the international normative and it's been a log time that they are used in leading European countries.

Naturally, the question is raised: why the local tobacco manufacturers are demanding the postponing of Minister of Labor, Health and Social Defense Order on: Ratification of limiting accepted content levels of toxic substances, nicotine and tar in tobacco product and it's smoke by 2 years under the slogan of Georgian production protection?

According to Medical NGOs Alliance opinion, the local tobacco manufacturers could be motivated only by mercantile considerations. Probably, they are going to continue for two more years: the purchase/import of new standards unsatisfying, low quality and cheap tobacco, which is no longer sold in Europe; the boxing (Georgian production); the realization and the receiving of big economical benefit due to damaging of population health. In such instance the local tobacco manufacturers have forgotten the population and it's interest. Unfortunately, the responsibility for irreversible damage of population health and genocide passes beyond the business plans of local tobacco manufacturers and especially tobacco importers.

Tobacco represents the legalized and most widely used narcotic mean and consequently, most jeopardizing product for population and country. The production of tobacco, as the main cause of numerous diseases, early disability and early death, is the same way non-moral, as any other kind of narcotic business. Considering the responsibility for country and the people the tobacco manufacturing doesn't need the assistance and support from the Georgian Tax-payers Union.

Indeed, the Georgian Tax-payers Union significantly contributes in country business development. Probably, the Union entirely doesn't acknowledge the tobacco products medical- and social impacts and negative influence on country and population. Otherwise, the Union wouldn't support the most not-paying business compamies, such as local tobacco manufacturers and importers. According to crude calculations, at least 150 million Lari should be entered to country budget from these companies.

The Medical NGOs Alliance asks the Georgian Tax-Payers Union prior tally to encourage those businesses, which are orientated on population, and especially future generations health promotion.

The Medical NGOs Alliance asks the Georgian government not to make the steps to the back like Georgian Parliament (21.12.2001) and not to postpone the execution of above-mentioned order of Minister of Labor, Health and Social Defense.

Alliance thinks, that in order to avoid the oppositions and social tension, it is possible to give the trading organizations time till April 1, 2002 for existing already produced and imported tobacco products realization. Due to this time the local manufacturing would be able to transfer to new standards. As for importing organizations, they can even earlier import the appropriate quality tobacco products. The production and realization of non-filter cigarettes, not satisfying the standards should be prohibited since the same period.

Medical NGOs Alliance

The Announcement is received on urgent meeting of Alliance

Tbilisi, February 3, 2002