The influence of public opinion on tobacco control policy-making in Georgia: Perspectives of governmental and non-governmental stakeholders

Abstract

IntroductIon Georgia has one of the highest smoking rates (36%) in Europe. This may be due partly to the fact that the present Georgian tobacco control regulations are weakly enforced. It is unclear if the authorities are aware that they would have majority public support for tighter enforcement of tobacco control regulations. The study aimed to fill a knowledge gap by addressing these research questionsTo what degree are policy makers aware of the Georgian public's opinions about tobacco control and enforcement 2

Smokers’ and Nonsmokers’ Receptivity to Smoke-Free Policies and Pro- and Anti-Policy Messaging in Armenia and Georgia

“…These misconceptions can be addressed easily, as the literature is clear on the health impact of SHSe and health benefits of smoke-free policies [10] and largely indicates neutral or positive impact of such policies on businesses (with findings otherwise generally produced by the tobacco industry) [10]. Finally, policymakers' decisions may be influenced less by constituent sentiment and more by personal attitudes and interests [33,34], perhaps influenced by tobacco industry role in the economy and culture of many countries, including Armenia and Georgia [35,36].…”