Cannabis in Georgia

History of Cannabis in Georgia

Cannabis has been present in the Caucasus for a long time: some evidence suggests it has been cultivated there for at least 2,700 years. According to local tradition, the Svans, a people from the isolated mountainous region of Svaneti, used the fibers from the stem to make cloth and rope, pressed the seeds to extract oil, and incorporated cannabis into certain traditional dishes. However, these practices remain poorly documented, and it is not clear whether they disappeared during the Soviet era.

Before the reforms, Georgia had a very strict anti-drug policy, which could result in up to 14 years in prison. After the legislation was tightened in 2006, drug testing increased significantly, and the police were conducting tests on more than 100 people every day, according to advocacy groups. The country has long served as a transit route for drugs from Central Asia bound for Russia and Europe.

The change came from the courts, at the initiative of activists. As early as 2013, advocacy groups and opposition leaders called for decriminalization, but the government opposed it. In October 2015, the Constitutional Court ruled that prison sentences for personal use were «too severe.» In December 2016, it declared imprisonment for the use of small quantities, as well as for the purchase, possession, and production intended for personal use, to be unconstitutional. The libertarian party Girchi, led by Zurab Japaridze, is one of the main supporters of the reform: on New Year’s Eve 2016, its activists planted 84 pots of cannabis at their headquarters in Tbilisi, in defiance of the law.

The July 30, 2018, the Constitutional Court issued a landmark ruling: it held that cannabis use falls under the freedom to develop one’s own personality and that it harms only the user. Its decision put an end to penalties for cannabis use, while leaving in place penalties for cultivation and sale. A few months later, in October 2018, Girchi organized a legalization festival in Tbilisi to protest a parliamentary bill aimed at restricting cannabis use.

Cannabis Laws in Georgia

Use and Possession: An Administrative Offense, Not a Crime

In Georgia, cannabis use is decriminalized: it is an administrative offense, not a crime. The Code of Administrative Offenses establishes a specific provision for cannabis, distinct from that for other drugs. The illegal acquisition, possession, transportation, or shipment of small quantities of cannabis is punishable by a fine of 500 lari (GEL).

Fines for public consumption vary by location. They range from 500 to 1,000 GEL in a building other than a private residence, and from 800 to 1,200 GEL in public spaces (streets, parks, stadiums, restaurants, public transportation, airports, etc.), with higher fines for repeat offenses. Consumption in the presence of a minor, on school grounds, or within 150 meters of an event intended for those under 18 is punishable by a fine of 1,000 to 1,500 GEL, with higher fines for repeat offenses. Consumption while performing official duties or on a military base is punishable by the same fines. Establishments that fail to take measures to prevent consumption are also subject to a fine.

A user may avoid liability if they voluntarily surrender the small amount of drugs in their possession or if they voluntarily seek help from a medical facility. Procedurally, the police may refer a person for a drug test, which the person may initially refuse but must take within four hours, with the option to request a second opinion within ten days.

Cultivation and sale: prohibited

The cultivation of cannabis—that is, sowing and growing—is prohibited under all circumstances, and there is no licensing system in place to regulate this market. For an individual, the cultivation of small quantities is punishable by a fine of 500 to 5,000 GEL with confiscation, or by imprisonment for up to 60 days. For a legal entity, the fine ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 GEL. The acquisition, possession, transportation, or sale of seeds intended for the cultivation of these plants is also punishable. Any claim of legal cultivation is therefore without legal basis.

News and Outlook

Georgia is often cited as one of the first countries in the world to have decriminalized cannabis use through judicial action, without going through parliamentary reform. However, it has not taken the next step: no legal market for cultivation or sale exists, even though the commercialization of cannabis has been discussed in political circles. Follow our Cannabis News in Georgia See below for updates to the law.