The Vice Speaker, Ilia Nakashidze met with the Director of the International Center for Tobacco Cessation, PhD  Martin Raw.

Professor Raw facilitated development of the national strategy for tobacco cessation. The parties discussed the project Initiative in Georgia responding to Tobacco Dependence and Facilitating Tobacco Cessation and the resuming Conference to be held in Tbilisi on February 9. The project aims at enhancement of tobacco dependence treatment in Georgia.

Georgian Respiratory Association, in collaboration with the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health undertakes this project in Adjara and Kakheti as the pilot regions.

The brief consultation on tobacco cessation was provided to more than 200 doctors in these regions. 1382 (21.41%) of polled patients have quit smoking within 6 months.

The parties discussed the needs for application of the project countrywide.

“We discussed development of the new methodology and training of the specialists – the first link personnel: doctors and nurses to facilitate the population to quit smoking. There are new methods and new regulations to reduce smoking. It is important as it is determined that tobacco is one of the primary reasons for vascular aggravations and lung diseases, and first of all – lung cancer. I don’t even mention the central neural disorders entailed with smoking. Nothing is positive in smoking and so, we strive to reduce smoking in Georgia and the Parliament will apply all the resources available”, - I. Nakashidze noted.

The meeting was attended by MPs Svetlana Kudba, Fati Khalvashi and Levan Bezhanidze, Head of NCDC Tobacco Group, Nino Maglakelidze, Professor of Tbilisi Medical University, Director of M. Iashvili Child Central Hospital, Chair of the Respiratory Association, Ivane Chkhaidze.