Parliament postpones marijuana regulatory bill discussion for two months

The Georgian parliament has postponed the discussion of the marijuana regulatory bill for two months, based on the decision of the parliament health committee.

The bill would regulate the rules and procedures of marijuana cultivation for export, for medical and cosmetic purposes only, which is strongly opposed by the opposition and the church.

The bill reads that the licenses for marijuana cultivation will be issued for five years and the cultivation of marijuana will be allowed only in a closed environment in an area equipped by surveillance cameras.

Both the interior and the exterior of such areas must be under 24-hour surveillance.

The government will at first only issue 10 licenses for marijuana cultivation and the cost of the license will amount to 25,000 GEL.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze had earlier stated that the legislative body suspended discussions on the bill in order to dispel doubts around the initiative and inform public.