Smoking cannabis legalised in Georgia

The use of marijuana has been legalised in Georgia after three months of deliberation. The country’s constitutional court announced the decision on 30 July.

This is in response to a lawsuit by the leaders of the Girchi (Pinecone) political party, Zurab Japaridze and Vakhtang Megrelishvili, who have been advocating for the legalization of marijuana and liberalization of Georgia’s drug laws for many years.

According to the court ruling, marijuana use will only be punishable if it poses a danger to other people. Also, it may not be used in educational institutions, public transport or any other public places.

Furthermore, growing and distributing marijuana still remains a criminally punishable offence.

After the court announcement, Zurab Japaridze said: “This wasn’t a fight for marijuana, this was a fight for our freedom.”

Last year the constitutional court decriminalized marijuana use and only implemented administrative fines as punishment for its use. But activists filed a new suit demanding that the administrative penalties be removed.