MARCH 2013 - On 15 March 2013, the Government of Georgia adopted a decree on the creation of the State Committee on Tobacco Control to strengthen tobacco control in Georgia and, specifically, with a view to ensuring the effective implementation of the country's 2010 Law on Tobacco Control.

The Committee is chaired by the Prime Minister, and its deputy chair is the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs. Several sectors of the Government are represented, including the Ministries of Education and Science; Justice; Internal Affairs; Sport and Youth Affairs; Finance; Economy and Sustainable Development; Regional Development and Infrastructure; and Agriculture. Other members of the Committee include members of Parliament, the Patriarchate of Georgia, media consortiums, the Georgian Public Broadcaster and relevant nongovernmental organizations.

The National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health will serve as the Secretariat of the Committee.

More information is available from Nino Maglakelidze, National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (n.maglakelidze@ncdc.ge).