Banning Flavoured Cigarettes in Georgia

Similarly in Georgia the majority of menthol cigarette and especially convertible cigarettes are smoked by youths, especially females. Doctors say that such products increase their addiction to tobacco and make it harder to quit smoking.

As the latest FDA 2011 report says, menthol is present in varying concentrations in 90 percent of tobacco products, including cigarettes that are not marketed as menthol cigarettes.

Apart from the US, the United Arab Emirates is considering the banning of menthol cigarettes and similar recommendations are being taken in Ukraine too.

In Georgia it is common to find flavour and menthol cigarettes, those of BAT (British American Tobacco) Kent and Pall-Mall and several other importers too.

As Sopho Tabatadze, BAT Manager in Georgia claims, there is no difference between smoking menthol Kent or another convertible system.

As she says, convertible cigarettes are obtainable in in Japan, France, Argentina, Mexico, Ukraine , and South Korea and in many other countries.

As Giorgi Margishvili, Philip Morris International Country Manager says, the Ministry of Health and Labour Affairs has to establish regulations for ingredients disclosure, according to article 4, although they’re not yet established.

“On the other hand PM Georgia is fully compliant with the Tobacco Control Law that regulates only tar, nicotine and CO yields in tobacco products in Georgia,” said Margishvili.

As he says, with or without ingredients, all tobacco products cause serious diseases and are addictive.