Georgia separates drug penalties for users and dealers

Changes are likely ahead for the country’s drug laws, affecting those who are caught purchasing, possessing and selling drugs.

Today, Georgia’s Deputy Justice Minister Aleksandre Baramidze said an amendment to the Criminal Code of Georgia outlined separation of criminal liability for people who purchase/possess drugs and those who sell drugs.

He said the Government had already approved the amendment and had submitted it to Parliament for further discussion.

"The amendment foresees separation of criminal responsibility between purchase/possession of drugs and selling them. Accordingly, penalties will also be different for the two crimes,” he said.

Under Article 260 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, illegal production, purchase, storage, transportation, transfer or sale of drugs, its analogues or precursors, was punishable by a prison sentence of up to 11 years.

The Deputy Minister noted the part about selling drugs will be removed from the current law and regulated by a separate Article.