BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 8
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
The sale of unpackaged, looseleaf tobacco, as well as of liquids for electronic cigarettes, will be banned In Georgia, Trend reports with reference to Georgian media outlets.
The relevant changes to the tax code will enter into force on November 21, 2019.
It will be forbidden to sell and deliver any unpackaged bulk tobacco – for pipes, cigarettes or hookahs.
Tobacco can only be sold in packages of net weight of 50 or 100 grams. The packages must have an excise stamp and contain a warning about its health hazards.
For violators, a fine of 2,000 lari (about $700) will be applicable. For a repeated violation, the fine is doubled.
Since May 1, 2018, smoking in public places has been completely prohibited in Georgia.
The Georgian government says it is fighting smoking with high excise taxes. Since the excise tax on tobacco products (with and without filters) has gradually risen in price from January 2017, cigarettes have become almost two and a half times more expensive. On average, a pack of filter cigarettes in Georgia costs four to six lari (about $1.3-$2).
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