On Tobacco Control
Text of the document
📑 Contents (17 articles)
Law of Georgia
On Tobacco Control
Article 1. Purpose of the Law🔗
For the purpose of reducing morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco consumption by the population of Georgia, this Law defines and regulates legal relations in the field of tobacco control.
Article 2. Basic Principles of Tobacco Control🔗
The criteria, requirements, conditions and rules in force in Georgia in the field of tobacco control shall be based on the following principles:
a) recognition of tobacco as a product harmful to health;
b) recognition of the right of non-smokers to protection from the harmful effects of tobacco;
c) informing the population of Georgia about the harmful effects of tobacco and transparency of information on tobacco products;
d) promotion of the cessation of tobacco consumption and prevention of the initiation of consumption;
e) (removed – 17 May 2017, No. 859).
f) control over the production and sale of tobacco products;
g) reduction of demand for tobacco products and accessibility of these products;
h) prohibition of the untaxed and anonymous sale of tobacco products;
i) recognition of non-smoking as a norm of life;
j) public participation in the development, implementation and evaluation of measures to combat tobacco consumption;
k) recognition of the right to live in an environment free from tobacco advertising and to be protected from its effects;
l) protection of public safety;
m) protection of the process of development and implementation of state policy related to tobacco control in the field of health care from interference by persons involved in the tobacco industry, as well as relations with persons involved in the tobacco industry in compliance with the principles of publicity and transparency of the state;
n) control over ingredients of tobacco products, substances emitted from tobacco products, and tobacco packaging;
o) impossibility of exempting persons involved in the tobacco industry from criminal or civil liability, notwithstanding the compliance of their actions with the norms in force in Georgia in the field of tobacco control, where there is an appropriate legal basis for such liability;
p) implementation of other measures permitted by law for the fulfillment of the purpose of this Law and the objectives and principles of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30 May 2017.
Article 3. Definition of terms used in the Law🔗
The terms used in this Law have the following meaning:
a) tobacco product – a product containing tobacco or its elements (except for a nicotine-containing medicinal product) intended for smoking, chewing, sucking or inhaling, including:
a.a) filtered cigarette, non-filtered cigarette;
a.b) papirosa;
a.b¹) cigar, cigarillo;
a.c) pipe tobacco, tobacco intended for hookah;
a.d) rolling tobacco;
a.e) chewing tobacco, sucking tobacco, inhaling tobacco;
a.f) nicotine-containing material/cartridge/capsule of an electronic cigarette or other similar device;
a.g) novel tobacco product − a product containing tobacco that does not fall within any other category of tobacco product defined by subparagraph „a“ of this Article;
a.g¹) nicotine-containing product without tobacco intended for human intake of nicotine;
a.h) raw tobacco, tobacco waste;
a.i) heated tobacco − a tobacco product (except for the nicotine-containing material/cartridge/capsule of an electronic cigarette or other similar device) intended for consumption only by heating;
a¹) tobacco accessory and/or device intended for tobacco consumption – mouthpiece, pipe, hookah, device for sucking tobacco, device for inhaling tobacco, electronic cigarette or other similar device, cigarette matches, special lighter, cigarette rolling paper, tobacco rolling machine, tobacco cutting machine, ashtray, port cigar of any kind or other item intended primarily for tobacco consumption and/or storage, as well as an illustration of a cigarette, its pack or the above-mentioned item or another item depicting it;
b) cigarette – any type of rolled or tubular construction containing tobacco or its elements, wrapped in paper or another material permitted by law that does not contain tobacco;
b¹) smoking tobacco − any tobacco product, including the tobacco products specified in subparagraphs „a.c“ and „a.d“ of this Article (except for the tobacco products specified in subparagraphs „a.a“−„a.b1“ of the same Article), obtained as a result of the process of preparation/production of cut tobacco (threshing, stemming and saucing of raw tobacco, blending of raw tobacco, cutting of tobacco, thermal treatment of cut tobacco, flavouring of cut tobacco, blending of cut tobacco and packaging of the finished product);
c) non-smoking tobacco – a tobacco product not intended for smoking, namely chewing, sucking or inhaling tobacco;
d) tobacco smoking – inhalation of primary smoke or aerosol released as a result of combustion or heating of a tobacco product;
e) tobacco industry – production, import, sale, export, re-export and/or transit of tobacco products;
e¹) cigar bar – a special establishment arranged on the basis of a permit issued in accordance with the Law of Georgia “On Licences and Permits”, and in which the smoking of cigars and cigarillos provided for by subparagraph “a.b1” of this article is permitted;
e²) tobacco production – the production of a tobacco product as defined by subparagraph “a” of this article;
f) medical warning – a warning inscription about the harmfulness of tobacco smoking, which shall include the relevant pictogram;
g) rotation – the alternation of medical warnings;
h) ingredient of a tobacco product – tobacco, an additive, a substance or an element contained in the composition of a tobacco product, including paper, filter, capsule, ink, glue;
h¹) additive – a substance or material (except tobacco leaf) added to a tobacco product;
i) Ministry – the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia;
j) substance emitted from a tobacco product – a substance emitted as a result of the use of a tobacco product for its intended purpose, namely a substance contained in the smoke of a cigarette or another type of smoking tobacco, which is emitted as a result of the use of smoking tobacco, as well as a substance emitted as a result of the use of chewing tobacco, sucking tobacco, inhaling tobacco;
k) (removed – 17.05.2017, No. 859);
l) auxiliary material and items – the wrapper, box and other packaging material in contact with the tobacco product;
m) sale – the transfer of a finished tobacco product to another person for the purpose of sale or other form of selling, for obtaining commercial benefit;
n) manipulation – weighing, measuring, stamping, printing, packaging, stacking, moving;
o) falsification – the inconsistency of the composition, characteristics, assortment and origin of a tobacco product with the established requirements or with the data indicated in the attached documents and on the label;
p) (removed – 17.05.2017, No. 859);
q) production facility – an enterprise, workshop or their sections and other production subdivisions and territories, as well as the equipment used in the tobacco production process;
r) (removed – 17.05.2017, No. 859);
s) finished product – a product obtained as a result of a combination of resources and activities (industrial processing);
t) tobacco producer – a natural person or legal entity that produces tobacco (including a producer of smoking tobacco and cigarettes as defined by subparagraph “t1” of this article) and is responsible at every stage of the activity carried out by it for compliance with the requirements of this Law, as well as a representative or importer of the product operating in the territory of Georgia, when a foreign manufacturer has no representative;
t¹) producer of smoking tobacco and cigarettes – a natural person or legal entity holding the relevant licence that carries out in the territory of Georgia the activity defined by paragraph 3² of Article 4 of this Law and is responsible at every stage of the activity carried out by it for compliance with the requirements of this Law;
u) building – any structure (except a vehicle) that has a floor, any type of roof or ceiling and, on not less than 1/2 of its surface (except the roof, ceiling, floor), has movable or immovable walls of any type and/or material, including an open or closed window and door;
v) public transport − any vehicle, including a bus, tram, trolleybus, route vehicle, taxi, train, aircraft, metro, cable transport, ship or other navigable means, which is used for the transportation of persons in exchange for the appropriate fee and/or for the purpose of obtaining commercial profit;
w) electronic cigarette − a product which may be used for the consumption of nicotine-containing aerosol by means of a device intended for the human mouth, or any component of this product, including a cartridge and a tank, or a device without a cartridge or tank. An electronic cigarette may be single-use or multiple-use (fillable by means of a container and tank or refillable by means of a single-use cartridge);
x) brand extension − such an association of a tobacco product brand, trademark, emblem, trade mark, logo or any other distinctive sign (including different colour combinations) with another product or service, in which the tobacco product and the other product or service are associated with each other.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No. 3121 – website, 11.07.2018.
Law of Georgia of 16 October 2019 No. 5128 – website, 23.10.2019.
Law of Georgia of 30 December 2021 No. 1349 – website, 31.12.2021.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4362 – website, 11.07.2024.
Law of Georgia of 19 July 2024 No. 4380 – website, 29.07.2024.
Law of Georgia of 28 May 2025 No. 596 – website, 29.05.2025.
Article 4. Tobacco control measures and subordinate normative acts regulating the field of tobacco control🔗
1. The Government of Georgia implements the long-term state strategy and annual state programme for tobacco control.
2. The following shall be determined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia:
a) maximum permissible norms, measurement and regulation rules for substances emitted from filtered and unfiltered cigarettes intended for sale in Georgia (except heated tobacco) (nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide), taking into account international requirements in force in the field of tobacco control;
a¹) volume of nicotine-containing material/cartridge/capsule/container of an electronic cigarette or other similar device intended for sale in Georgia, maximum permissible norms for nicotine content therein, taking into account international requirements in force in the field of tobacco control;
b) rules for applying medical warnings (including a pictogram and textual inscription) on tobacco products (pack/block, packaging);
c) rules for standardization of tobacco products intended for sale in Georgia and their packaging;
d) rules and conditions for licensing tobacco production.
3. The measurement of substances emitted from filtered and unfiltered cigarettes (except heated tobacco) (nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide) shall be ensured by the manufacturer and/or importer of the said tobacco product at their own expense. The manufacturer and/or importer of the said tobacco product shall confirm that the measurement was carried out in accordance with measurement standards and, no later than 3 months before placing filtered and unfiltered cigarettes on the Georgian market, shall submit to the Ministry documents confirming that the measurement of substances emitted from filtered and unfiltered cigarettes was carried out in accordance with measurement standards. The list of these documents shall be determined by Order of the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. The manufacturer and/or importer of tobacco products shall ensure that the said tobacco product complies with the data specified in the documents. The manufacturer and/or importer of filtered and unfiltered cigarettes shall be obliged to re-submit the said updated documents in the event of a change in the quantity of substances emitted from filtered and unfiltered cigarettes or in any other parameter thereof. In the event of such a change, the updated documents shall be submitted no later than 3 months before placing filtered and unfiltered cigarettes on the Georgian market. Moreover, the manufacturer and/or importer of tobacco products shall, no later than 3 months before placing tobacco products (except novel tobacco products and heated tobacco) on the Georgian market, submit to the Ministry information on the ingredients of the tobacco product (in particular, the list, quantity and weight of the ingredients). The manufacturer and/or importer of tobacco products shall be obliged to re-submit the said updated information in the event of a change in the quantity or other parameter of the ingredients. In the event of such a change, the updated information shall be submitted no later than 3 months before placing the tobacco product on the Georgian market.
3¹. The manufacturer and/or importer of heated tobacco or novel tobacco product shall be obliged to provide the Ministry with a notification about any product that it plans to place on the Georgian market. The notification shall be provided to the Ministry in the form determined by the Ministry, 3 months before placing the respective product on the Georgian market. The notification shall be accompanied by a detailed description of this product and instructions for use, as well as information on the ingredients of the said tobacco product and the substances emitted from it.
3². The production of smoking tobacco (threshing, casing and saucing of raw tobacco, blending of raw tobacco, cutting of tobacco, thermal treatment of cut tobacco, flavouring of cut tobacco, blending of cut tobacco and packaging of the finished product) and the production of cigarettes (placing cut tobacco into cigarettes, production of filter cigarettes and non-filter cigarettes, packaging of cigarettes into packs) requires a tobacco production licence. A tobacco production licence shall not be required for the import of tobacco products into the territory of Georgia or the production of other types of tobacco products in the territory of Georgia, as well as for the cultivation, primary processing and cutting of tobacco in the territory of Georgia by a natural person.
3³. The relevant licence shall be issued to an applicant for a tobacco production licence if he/she meets the conditions determined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia, including if, for the purpose of exercising quality control and monitoring of tobacco products, the enterprise is provided with an appropriately equipped laboratory in accordance with the conditions determined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia.
3⁴. The holder of a tobacco production licence shall be obliged to carry out each activity provided for by paragraph 3² of this Article and to ensure the full process of tobacco production. Failure to carry out any of these activities shall be considered a violation of the terms of the relevant licence and shall entail the imposition on him/her of the liability determined by the legislation of Georgia.
3⁵. Carrying out any of the activities provided for by paragraph 3² of this Article (except for the cultivation, primary processing and cutting of tobacco in the territory of Georgia by a natural person) without a tobacco production licence shall entail the imposition of the liability determined by the legislation of Georgia.
4. The rules of prohibition/restriction of the production, import and sale of tobacco established by this Law shall be taken into account in the licensing/permit/authorisation conditions of persons carrying out the activity determined by the relevant licence/permit/authorisation.
5. Verification of compliance with the requirements established by this Law in the field of tobacco control is not control of entrepreneurial activity and, accordingly, the operation of the Law of Georgia "on Entrepreneurial Activity" shall not extend to it.
6. A public institution, a state servant and a public servant shall, in the process of preparing, adopting and implementing a decision related to tobacco control in the field of health protection, have relations with persons involved in the tobacco industry only if this is necessary to give them the possibility of effective regulation in relation to tobacco production and tobacco products. In the event of the necessity of relations with persons involved in the tobacco industry, the said persons shall conduct the State's relations with them transparently, by means of public discussions, public notification of these relations and making the developed documents available to the public. Issues related to the said relations shall be determined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia.
Law of Georgia No. 859 of 17 May 2017 – website, 30 May 2017.
Law of Georgia No. 3121 of 5 July 2018 – website, 11 July 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 3956 of 13 December 2018 – website, 25 December 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 5128 of 16 October 2019 – website, 23 October 2019.
Law of Georgia No. 4380 of 19 July 2024 – website, 29 July 2024.
Article 5. Sale and/or placement of tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or devices intended for tobacco consumption🔗
1. It shall be prohibited to involve a person under 18 years of age in the tobacco industry.
2. It shall be prohibited to sell and/or place tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or devices intended for tobacco consumption:
a) in educational (general educational, higher educational, vocational), upbringing and educational-upbringing institutions and in the territories adjacent thereto within a radius of 50 metres (from the nearest point of the territory of the respective institution);
b) in a public institution; in any type of medical, sports and cultural institutions and in the territories owned by them;
c) in a retail facility, if the tobacco product, tobacco accessory and/or device intended for tobacco consumption is not placed separately from food and/or other products. A tobacco product, tobacco accessory and/or device intended for tobacco consumption shall be considered to be placed separately from food and/or other products if it is separated from food and/or other products by means of an opaque shelf/device/partition or is located in another place in the retail facility, independently of the separate retail departments and/or sections allocated for the sale of food and/or other products. A part of a retail facility where a specific type/types of food and/or other products is/are sold shall be considered a retail department/section;
d) in single sticks or in a single pack/package, if it contains fewer or more than 20 cigarettes;
e) without packaging (except for a tobacco accessory and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption);
f) to a person under 18 years of age;
g) by means of an electronic or mechanical machine;
h) if the tobacco product intended for sale in Georgia has been manufactured in violation of the legislation of Georgia;
i) free of charge or at a price below cost, including by inclusion in the daily ration for military servicemen;
(The normative content of the words "or at a price below cost" of subparagraph "i" of paragraph 2 of Article 5, which, in the presence of a legitimate economic interest, prohibits an economic agent operating on the tobacco market from selling tobacco products to another economic agent operating on the same market at a price below cost, was declared invalid) – judgment of the Constitutional Court of Georgia No. 1/2/876 of 20 May 2022 – website, 24.05.2022.
j) via the Internet or by post (retail trade) (except for a tobacco accessory and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption which does not bear the trademark and/or name of the product (goods) of a person involved in the tobacco industry);
k) in early and pre-school upbringing and education institutions and in the territories adjacent thereto within a radius of 50 metres;
l) on a display window, showcase, counter, shelf or otherwise, in such a way that it is visible from outside the respective facility (except cigarette matches, a special lighter, an ashtray and a cigarette case, which do not bear the trademark and/or name of the product (goods) of persons engaged in the tobacco industry, as well as in cases of sale and placement in the free zone of the customs territory at an airport);
m) on a display window, showcase, counter, shelf or otherwise, in such a way that it is visible from inside the respective facility (except cigarette matches, a special lighter, an ashtray and a cigarette case, which do not bear the trademark and/or name of the product (goods) of persons engaged in the tobacco industry, as well as in cases of sale and placement in the free zone of the customs territory at an airport);
n) sale of a tobacco product or a tobacco accessory from the respective facility by direct delivery to persons seated in their vehicle.
2¹. The delivery of the tobacco product (except liquid tobacco product) provided for by subparagraph "a.c" of Article 3 of this Law, or of the tobacco product provided for by subparagraph "a.d" or "a.h" of the same Article, shall be permissible only if it is packaged in primary packaging of 50 or 100 grams net mass, except for the case determined by Order of the Minister of Finance of Georgia of delivery for the purpose of manufacturing a tobacco product.
3. It is prohibited to distribute or raffle a tobacco product, a tobacco accessory and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption by means of a lottery, gambling and profitable games, to raffle in another form and/or to participate in such events by means of a tobacco product or any part thereof, a tobacco accessory and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption or by their distribution, as well as to popularize a tobacco product in any other form, including:
a) giving or offering a gift, transfer of a tobacco product, a tobacco accessory and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption or offering to try a tobacco product for the purpose of sale;
b) reinforcement of initiative or a loyalty scheme, namely, distribution of coupons upon sale of a tobacco product;
c) direct personal communication, network marketing, which popularizes or may popularize a tobacco product, a tobacco manufacturer or a wholesale merchant;
d) promotional material intended for an individual, including information material (namely, a direct message), telemarketing, consumer research, which popularizes or may popularize a tobacco product, a tobacco manufacturer or a wholesale merchant;
e) payment of money to a retail merchant, giving a reward or otherwise contributing to the activity of a retail merchant, which is intended to motivate the retail merchant to sell more tobacco product;
f) payment of money or other contribution by a tobacco manufacturer, importer or wholesaler, by persons directly or indirectly connected with them, to an event, to the activity of a natural person or organisation, which as a result promotes tobacco products, a tobacco manufacturer, importer or wholesaler or their representatives;
g) sale or distribution of a toy, confectionery or other product which is not a tobacco product and is an illustration, simulation or imitation of a tobacco product;
h) brand extension, as well as placement, on the inner or outer part of a trade device/item for tobacco products in a commercial facility, of such a mark, image, special lighting, digital material or text, and such design of this device/item, which attracts or may attract the consumer's attention or association with the product placed therein, tobacco products or a tobacco manufacturer.
4. At places of sale of tobacco products, a medical warning approved by the legislation of Georgia and a contact telephone number for those wishing to give up tobacco consumption to receive consultation, as well as information that the sale of tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption to a person under 18 years of age is prohibited, shall be placed on paper of not less than A4 format.
5. If the seller of tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption cannot confirm that the buyer of tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption is a person who has reached 18 years of age, he/she shall require from this person a document confirming his/her full legal age and shall sell the tobacco products, tobacco accessories and/or a device intended for tobacco consumption only after being satisfied that he/she is a person who has reached 18 years of age.
Law of Georgia No. 859 of 17 May 2017 – website, 30.05.2017
Law of Georgia No. 3956 of 13 December 2018 – website, 25.12.2018
Law of Georgia No. 5128 of 16 October 2019 – website, 23.10.2019
Law of Georgia No. 1349 of 30 December 2021 – website, 31.12.2021
Judgment of the Constitutional Court of Georgia No. 1/2/876 of 20 May 2022 – website, 24.05.2022
Article 5¹. Sale and/or placement of tobacco products with standardized packaging🔗
1. The sale and/or placement of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs “a.b1”, “a.e”, “a.f”, “a.g1” and “a.i” of Article 3 of this Law) without standardized packaging shall be prohibited.
2. The rules for the standardization of tobacco products and their packaging shall be determined by this Law and a relevant legal act of the Government of Georgia.
Law of Georgia No. 859 of 17 May 2017 – website, 30 May 2017.
Law of Georgia No. 1278 of 26 July 2017 – website, 28 July 2017.
Law of Georgia No. 2127 of 29 November 2022 – website, 13 December 2022.
Law of Georgia No. 3924 of 13 December 2023 – website, 28 December 2023.
Law of Georgia No. 4361 of 27 June 2024 – website, 11 July 2024.
Article 6. Packaging and design of tobacco products🔗
1. The name of tobacco products intended for sale in Georgia, no element of the packaging and/or label of tobacco products shall contain false, misleading or creating an incorrect impression information about the properties of tobacco products, harmful effects or emitted harmful substances; it is not allowed to use in the state language of Georgia or in any foreign language a word, abbreviation, sign, image, graphic or figure which directly or indirectly creates an incorrect impression that this tobacco product is less harmful compared to another product, including, they may not be used in the brand or trade mark name, in particular, the words: "light", "soft", "less strong", "ultra-light", "low content", "extra", "ultra", "menthol" and others.
2. On each pack/block and packaging of tobacco products (except tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.f", "a.g", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law) there shall be placed a medical warning approved by the legislation of Georgia. The said medical warning shall include the main medical warning, an additional medical warning (with the corresponding pictogram approved by the legislation of Georgia, and in the case of tobacco products provided for by subparagraph "a.e" of Article 3 of this Law – with the corresponding textual inscription) and a contact telephone number.
2¹. In the packaging of tobacco products provided for by subparagraph "a.f" of Article 3 of this Law there shall be placed a corresponding information leaflet about this product.
2². On each packaging of tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.g", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law there shall be placed a medical warning approved by the legislation of Georgia. At the same time, by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia the obligation and procedure for applying the corresponding pictogram may be determined.
3. The Government of Georgia approves 3 samples of the main medical warning, 9 samples of the additional medical warning and 9 samples of the corresponding pictogram, 1 sample of the textual inscription, forms of the corresponding information leaflet, for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.g", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law − 2 samples of the medical warning and, if necessary, − 2 samples of the corresponding pictogram, as well as the contact telephone number, the computer font and size of the medical warning, and the parameters corresponding to the image quality.
4. The sample of the pictogram shall correspond to and contain the text of the additional medical warning, and in the case of tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.g", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law − the text of the medical warning, and shall occupy the part of the medical warning approved by the Government of Georgia.
5. The rotation of medical warnings is carried out as follows:
a) the manufacturer and/or importer of tobacco products shall, in the course of the year, use all principal medical warnings, and in the case of tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.g", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law — all medical warnings, in such a way that they are evenly distributed on the box/block and packaging of each type of tobacco product for sale;
b) the manufacturer and/or importer of tobacco products shall, in the course of the year, select 3 additional medical warnings with the corresponding pictograms, in such a way that they are evenly distributed on the box/block and packaging of each type of tobacco product for sale.
5¹. When placing tobacco products on the market in Georgia, the manufacturer of tobacco products and/or, when importing tobacco products, the importer of tobacco products shall be obliged to submit to the relevant authorised body information on the quantity and the batch of tobacco products in respect of which, and the type (principal medical warning, additional medical warning) and the sample of medical warnings of which, it carried out the rotation.
6. On each packaging of tobacco products, the medical warning shall be placed in the state language of Georgia (and in the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia — also in Abkhazian), in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article, and shall be:
a) written clearly and legibly;
b) printed on the packaging of tobacco products (except for external transparent packaging) (in the case of cigars, cigarillos, chewing tobacco, sucking tobacco, liquid tobacco products, as well as in the case of more than 50 kilograms of raw tobacco, instead of printing, it is permissible to affix the medical warning in the form of a sticker), shall not be covered, distorted or altered, shall not be damaged or detached from it when the packaging is opened;
c) printed in a computer font, in bold, in black letters on a white background or in white letters on a black background; the white background shall be bordered by a black frame, and the black background — by a white frame, which does not intersect and does not touch the letters; the thickness of the frame line shall be 1 mm;
d) placed on the front and back large sides of the packaging of tobacco products, parallel to the top and bottom edges, and shall not occupy less than 65 per cent of the total area of the side, including the surrounding lines, and for tobacco products provided for by subparagraph "a.e" of Article 3 of this Law — placed on the front and back large sides of the packaging and shall not occupy less than 30 per cent of the total area of the side, including the surrounding lines;
e) placed: the additional medical warning — on the front side of the box; the principal medical warning — on the back side of the box, and in the case of tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.g", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law — on the front and back sides of the box.
6¹. On the packaging of tobacco products intended for sale and/or placement in a free trade point located in the border control zone, an English-language health warning may be placed which fully complies with the requirements established by the effective directive of the European Union for the given product and does not infringe intellectual property and other rights.
7. (Repealed – 17.05.2017, No. 859).
8. A health warning may not be covered by other printed information or an image.
9. This Law and the relevant legal act of the Government of Georgia determine the rule for standardisation of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs „a.b1“, „a.e“, „a.f“, „a.g1“ and „a.i“ of Article 3 of this Law) and their packaging, the purpose of which is:
a) reduction of the attractiveness of tobacco products;
b) increase of the effectiveness and visibility of the health warning;
c) reduction of the possibility of misleading the consumer, by the packaging of tobacco products, about tobacco products or their use.
10. The use of a brand, logo, trademark or other element designating it (except for a tobacco product traceability mark) on the packaging (pack, block, container and other) of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs „a.b1“, „a.e“, „a.f“, „a.g1“ and „a.i“ of Article 3 of this Law) is prohibited. An inscription on the packaging (pack, block, container and other) of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs „a.b1“, „a.e“, „a.f“, „a.g1“ and „a.i“ of Article 3 of this Law), except for the brand name and the variant name of the tobacco product, shall be made in a uniform, standardised font, in the state language of Georgia, and the country of manufacture shall be indicated. On the packaging of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs „a.b1“, „a.e“, „a.f“, „a.g1“ and „a.i“ of Article 3 of this Law), the brand name or the variant name of this product shall be made in a uniform, standardised font, in the state language of Georgia, and, if desired, it may also be made in English and shall not exceed in size the inscription made in the state language of Georgia. At the same time, the issue of applying any inscription to filtered cigarettes, non-filtered cigarettes, papirosa, cigars and cigarillos is regulated by a normative act of the Government of Georgia.
11. The Government of Georgia, by a normative act, adopts a decision on the permission (use) or prohibition of the following characteristics and/or elements of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs „a.b1“, „a.e“, „a.f“, „a.g1“ and „a.i“ of Article 3 of this Law) or on the determination of any requirements in respect thereof:
a) the colour, size and shape of tobacco products or their packaging;
b) the material and texture of tobacco product packaging;
c) the manner of opening tobacco product packaging;
d) the wrapper and contents of tobacco products;
e) certain words or signs to be placed on tobacco products and their packaging (including a certain type of brand, logo or trademark);
f) words or signs which are permitted to be placed on tobacco products or their packaging;
g) distinguishing features of tobacco products and their packaging, including features aimed at changing the appearance or content of tobacco products and their packaging, for emitting sound or releasing scent after the sale of tobacco products;
h) an object or material placed in or used in the packaging of tobacco products which is not an integral or necessary part of that packaging;
i) an object attached to tobacco products or their packaging, except for the mandatory excise stamp and the medical warning defined by this Article;
j) a weight-determining [item] of tobacco products which may be placed in the packaging of these products;
k) such a feature or element of tobacco products as causes the giving of a taste characteristic of these products.
12. On the packaging of tobacco products (except for tobacco products provided for by subparagraphs "a.b1", "a.e", "a.f", "a.g1" and "a.i" of Article 3 of this Law), the display of the brand name or variant name shall be permitted only in accordance with a normative act of the Government of Georgia. By the said normative act of the Government of Georgia it may be determined:
a) a limit on the length of the brand name or variant name;
b) prohibition of the use in the brand name or variant name of words and colours which may mislead the consumer about the characteristics of the tobacco product, its effect on health, risk or emitted substances, or to the effect that this tobacco product is less harmful than or better than another product because it is natural or organic or beneficial for a healthy lifestyle;
c) the use of such words or phrases as are intended for the economic encouragement of the consumer;
d) requirements concerning the manner of display of words or signs, including the manner and circumstances by and in which these words or signs are displayed, the corresponding font face, size and type, as well as the location and orientation of words on the packaging of tobacco products.
13. Normative acts adopted in accordance with paragraphs 9–12 of this Article shall not affect a person's intellectual property right – to register a trademark and copyright, to own and dispose of them.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Law of Georgia of 26 July 2017 No. 1278 - website, 28.07.2017.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2018 No. 3956 – website, 25.12.2018.
Law of Georgia of 16 October 2019 No. 5128 – website, 23.10.2019.
Law of Georgia of 29 November 2022 No. 2127 – website, 13.12.2022.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2023 No. 3923 – website, 28.12.2023.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2023 No. 3924 – website, 28.12.2023.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4361 - website, 11.07.2024.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4362 - website, 11.07.2024.
Article 7. Protection of the consumer from counterfeit products🔗
1. For the purpose of protecting the consumer from counterfeit products, the Government of Georgia establishes the list of markings on the packaging (about the tobacco manufacturer).
2. Production, storage, transportation and sale of counterfeit tobacco shall be prohibited.
3. (Removed - 17.05.2017, No. 859).
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Article 8. (Removed)🔗
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Article 9. Export and import of tobacco🔗
1. Export and import of tobacco shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
2. The norms established by this Law (except for Article 10 of this Law) shall not apply to tobacco products, of the quantity established by the Customs Code of Georgia, imported by a person by air transport within 1 calendar day, and in other cases – imported within 30 calendar days.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Law of Georgia of 28 June 2019 No. 4910 - website, 04.07.2019.
Article 10. Restriction of Tobacco Use🔗
1. Tobacco smoking is prohibited:
a) in buildings and structures of any purpose, except for buildings and structures provided for by paragraph 1¹ of this article;
b) in public transport (except for the open area of a ship or other navigable vessel);
b¹) in a motor vehicle (car) when a minor is present in it;
c) in buildings and structures of educational (general educational, higher educational, vocational educational), upbringing and educational-upbringing institutions, other educational institutions, libraries, camps for student youth, children's entertainment centres and other institutions intended for persons under 18 years of age, and on territories owned by them (except for the case provided for by paragraph 1⁵ of this article), as well as at public gatherings intended for persons under 18 years of age;
d) in buildings and structures of medical and pharmaceutical institutions and on the territories of these institutions, except for institutions provided for by paragraph 1² of this article and the case provided for by paragraph 1⁵ of this same article;
e) in buildings and structures of petrol stations, gas filling stations and gas distribution stations, as well as of those institutions where flammable substances are stored, and on territories owned by them;
f) at a stadium that has an administration.
1¹. Tobacco smoking is permitted in the following buildings and structures:
a) at the place of residence of a natural person (if the natural person/the family of the natural person actually lives at this place of residence and this place of residence is not at the same time the actual location for carrying out entrepreneurial activity);
b) in a specialised laboratory device for studying tobacco smoke;
c) in a penitentiary institution of the Special Penitentiary Service, a state sub-agency institution within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia (hereinafter − penitentiary institution);
d) in a cigar lounge arranged on the basis of a permit issued in accordance with the Law of Georgia "On Licences and Permits" (only for cigars and cigarillos provided for by subparagraph "a.b1" of Article 3 of this Law);
e) in a casino;
e¹) in a gaming machine hall for the arrangement of which the permit fee rate is set at not less than GEL 200,000 and in which not less than 20 gaming machines are placed;
f) in the transit zone of an airport, in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 1³ of this article;
g) in a pre-trial detention facility;
h) in a temporary accommodation centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
i) in buildings and structures intended for the permanent use of a professional theatre, only by an actor and/or performer, during a performance and/or theatrical presentation, for the purpose of implementing the director's creative concept. At the same time, before the start of the performance and/or theatrical presentation, the audience shall be provided with information about the harmful effects of tobacco products.
1². In facilities designated for inpatient psychiatric and palliative treatment, tobacco smoking is permitted, in accordance with the procedure established by a special order of the head of the respective facility, for certain support recipients or seriously ill patients, in a specially designated place, which must be fully (by walls) separated from the other part/territory of the facility and must have ventilation or a window opening onto open space. For such a patient, tobacco smoking, by special order of the head of the said facility, is also permissible in the ward, if he/she is isolated from other patients.
1³. In the transit zone of an airport, tobacco smoking is permissible only in a special smoking room, which must have a separate ventilation system, from which tobacco smoke must not enter other spaces, and in which the bringing in and consumption of food and drink must not take place. The rule for allocating a special smoking room in the transit zone of an airport, as well as special requirements for the special smoking room, shall be determined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia.
1⁴. The rule and conditions for tobacco use in a penitentiary facility shall be determined by order of the Minister of Justice of Georgia.
1⁵. On the territories of higher educational, vocational educational, medical and pharmaceutical facilities, tobacco smoking is permissible in a place (places) specially designated by the head of the respective facility. The number of such places on the territory of the said facility must not exceed 3, and the area of each place must not be more than 20 square metres.
2. (Removed - 17.05.2017, No. 859).
3. (Removed - 17.05.2017, No. 859).
4. (Removed - 17.05.2017, No. 859).
5. (Removed - 17.05.2017, No. 859).
6. (Removed - 17.05.2017, No. 859).
7. It is prohibited to demonstrate tobacco smoking or other forms of its use through the mass media, other printed or electronic means, by means of public screenings and theatrical performances, except for the accidental appearance of a smoker in the frame during a live broadcast in open space, the case provided for by subparagraph "i" of paragraph 1¹ of this Article, and the showing of a television or radio programme approved by a normative act of the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection of Georgia on the harmfulness of tobacco smoking, as provided for by paragraph 2 of Article 8² of the Law of Georgia "On Advertising".
8. A facility (legal entity, other organisational formation, association of persons without creating a legal entity, entrepreneurial entity, public institution, including a state body and a municipal body) is obliged to:
a) ensure, in the building/structure and/or territory defined by paragraph 1 of this Article, where it carries out its activities, the prohibition/restriction of tobacco smoking established by this Law;
b) not to allow, in the building/structure and/or territory defined by paragraph 1 of this Article, where he/she carries out his/her activity, the presence of smoke, aerosol, ash or soot resulting from tobacco consumption, as well as the placement of a hookah and an ashtray;
c) to develop and approve, in the building/structure and/or territory defined by paragraph 1 of this Article, where he/she carries out his/her activity, the rules related to the prohibition/restriction of tobacco smoking;
d) in the building/structure and/or territory defined by paragraph 1 of this Article, where he/she carries out his/her activity, at all entrances and in other visible places, to place the rules related to the prohibition/restriction of tobacco smoking, the corresponding inscription and sign on the prohibition/restriction of tobacco smoking, as well as the contact telephone number of the natural person/institution and other information, contacting which will be possible in the event of violation of the rules related to the prohibition/restriction of tobacco consumption;
e) not to allow tobacco smoking, and in the event of detection of the fact of tobacco smoking, within the scope of the authority conferred on him/her by law, immediately to suppress it in the building/structure and/or territory defined by paragraph 1 of this Article, where he/she carries out his/her activity.
9. The driver, owner/possessor of public transport shall be obliged to comply with the rules of prohibition/restriction of tobacco smoking in the relevant public transport and to suppress the facts of non-compliance with these rules.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30 May 2017.
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No. 3121 – website, 11 July 2018.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2018 No. 3956 – website, 25 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 15 July 2020 No. 7015-rs – website, 28 July 2020.
Law of Georgia of 30 December 2021 No. 1349 – website, 31 December 2021.
Law of Georgia of 28 May 2025 No. 596 – website, 29 May 2025.
Article 10¹. Permit for arranging a cigar bar and permit conditions🔗
1. The issuance, revocation and amendment of the permit for arranging a cigar bar, its entry in the departmental permit register and other measures related to this permit shall be carried out, in accordance with the Law of Georgia “On Licences and Permits” and this Law, by the Legal Entity of Public Law within the governance sphere of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia − the Revenue Service (hereinafter − the Revenue Service).
2. A permit for arranging a cigar bar shall be issued for a term of 4 years.
3. It shall be prohibited to transfer the permit for arranging a cigar bar provided for by this Article to another person.
4. It shall be prohibited to offer the customer any product in a cigar bar for the purpose of gifting, selling or tasting, except for cigars and cigarillos provided for by subparagraph “a.b1” of Article 3 of this Law, as well as beverages.
5. It shall be prohibited to admit a minor to a cigar bar.
6. The owner of a cigar bar shall be obliged to place in a visible place the contact information of the relevant fire-rescue unit.
7. The applicant for a permit for arranging a cigar bar shall, in order to obtain the permit, attach to the application to be submitted to the Revenue Service, in addition to the documents provided for by Article 25 of the Law of Georgia “On Licences and Permits”, the following documents and information:
a) a document confirming the ownership of the relevant establishment (entrepreneurial entity);
b) documents confirming that the cigar bar will be located in an isolated building or in an isolated part of a building, will be connected to other parts of the building by a blank wall, will have a separate entrance, a ventilation system, and cigar smoke cannot enter other parts of the building or another building/structure;
c) a document issued by the relevant authorised body on the proper functioning of the ventilation system;
d) a document confirming the ownership of an electric humidifier device;
e) information on the instruction of the staff (employees) of the relevant establishment in the rules of sale and consumption of tobacco products.
8. The holder of a permit for arranging a cigar bar shall be obliged to submit to the issuer of the permit for arranging a cigar bar, 1 year after receipt of the permit and in each subsequent year, information to the effect that, according to the relevant year, the amount received from the sale of cigars constituted not less than 15 per cent of its annual turnover.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30 May 2017.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2018 No. 3956 – website, 25 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 28 May 2025 No. 596 – website, 29 May 2025.
Article 10². Liability for failure to comply with the permit conditions for arranging a smoking area🔗
1. Liability for failure to comply with the permit conditions for arranging a smoking area shall be determined by the legislation of Georgia, including by this Law.
2. Failure by the holder of a permit for arranging a smoking area to comply with the permit conditions for arranging a smoking area provided for by this Law shall result in the imposition of a fine on him/her in the amount of GEL 500.
3. Notwithstanding the imposition of the fine provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article, repeated failure by the holder of a permit for arranging a smoking area to comply with the permit conditions shall result in the imposition of a fine on him/her in accordance with Article 34 of the Law of Georgia "On Licences and Permits".
4. If, notwithstanding the payment of the fines provided for by paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article, the holder of a permit for arranging a smoking area still fails to comply with the permit conditions, the permit-issuing authority shall take a decision on the revocation of the permit. Matters related to the revocation of this permit shall be regulated in accordance with the Law of Georgia "On Licences and Permits".
5. The right to draw up a protocol on the offence provided for by this Article and to consider the case shall be vested in a person duly authorised for that purpose by the Revenue Service.
6. The form of the protocol on the offence provided for by this Article, and the procedure for its completion and submission, shall be determined by an Order of the Minister of Finance of Georgia, while the proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2018 No. 3956 – website, 25.12.2018.
Article 11. Liability for violation of the Law🔗
Natural and legal persons shall bear liability for violation of this Law in the manner established by the legislation of Georgia.
Article 12. State control over the implementation of the Law🔗
1. State control over the implementation of this Law shall be exercised in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
2. For the purpose of implementing this Law, in order to administer matters related to tobacco control, the authorised institutions may, where necessary, develop and issue relevant legal acts.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Article 12¹. Transitional provisions🔗
1. Until 1 January 2020, tobacco smoking shall be permitted at the stadium provided for by subparagraph „f“ of paragraph 1 of Article 10 of this Law.
2. Until 1 January 2020, tobacco smoking shall be permitted in not more than 20 per cent of hotel rooms. It shall be inadmissible to change the smoking regime in smoking and non-smoking hotel rooms. Smoking hotel rooms shall be designated by a special order of the hotel administration, which shall be placed in a conspicuous place in the hotel.
3. Until 1 January 2019, an inscription about the substances emitted from tobacco products may be applied to tobacco products in the manner established by the Government of Georgia.
4. Until 31 December 2022, on the packaging of tobacco products intended for sale and/or placement in a duty-free point located in the border control zone, an English-language medical warning may be placed which fully complies with the requirements of the European Union directive in force for the given product and does not infringe intellectual property and other rights.
5. Until 1 January 2025, on each package of novel tobacco products provided for by subparagraph „a.g“ of Article 3 of this Law and of heated tobacco provided for by subparagraph „a.i“ of the same Article, a medical warning may be placed without the corresponding pictogram. At the same time, in the case of heated tobacco provided for by subparagraph „a.i“ of Article 3 of this Law, the medical warning may occupy not less than 30 per cent of the total area of the side, which includes the bordering lines.
6. Until 1 March 2025, placement on the Georgian market, and until 1 April 2025, sale, of tobacco products that comply with the legislation of Georgia in force until 1 October 2024 shall be possible.
7. Until 1 January 2026, the production of tobacco defined by paragraph 3² of Article 4 of this Law shall not be considered an activity carried out without a tobacco production licence.
Law of Georgia of 17 May 2017 No. 859 – website, 30.05.2017.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2018 No. 3956 – website, 25.12.2018.
Law of Georgia of 16 October 2019 No. 5128 – website, 23.10.2019.
Law of Georgia of 30 December 2021 No. 1349 – website, 31.12.2021.
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2023 No. 3923 – website, 28.12.2023.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4362 – website, 11.07.2024.
Law of Georgia of 19 July 2024 No. 4380 – website, 29.07.2024.
Law of Georgia of 18 March 2025 No. 363 – website, 19.03.2025.
Article 13. Final provisions🔗
1. Upon the entry into force of this Law, the following shall be declared invalid:
a) Law of Georgia of 6 June 2003 "On Tobacco Control in Georgia" (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 19, 1.07.2003, Art. 121);
b) Law of Georgia of 25 June 1999 "On Food and Tobacco" (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 31(38), 1999, Art. 165);
c) Law of Georgia of 26 August 2003 "On Trade in Tobacco Products" (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 29, 18.09.2003, Art. 209).
2. Subordinate normative acts issued on the basis of the legislative acts referred to in subparagraphs "a" and "b" of paragraph 1 of this article shall retain legal force until they are brought into compliance with this Law.
3. This Law shall enter into force upon publication.
President of Georgia M. Saakashvili
Tbilisi,
15 December 2010.
No 4059-rs