Gov’t decides to withdraw marijuana export bill from parliament

The government of Georgia will withdraw its marijuana export bill from parliament, which would have allowed marijuana cultivation for the export of medical and cosmetic cannabis products.  

The government decision was announced today by Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia after his and Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze’s meeting with Patriarch Ilia II.

Gakharia  told the media that the reason behind the decision was public turmoil over the proposal.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia presented the marijuana export bill in early September, with top state figures claiming that the export would have brought one billion and perhaps more income into the state budget.

Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze vowed that marijuana cultivation for export would have been strongly regulated and administered.

Founder of the Georgian Dream party, former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili, who now chairs the party political council, has confirmed his involvement in the drafting of the bill, but said that if the Patriarchate persuaded the government of the possible negative effects of the initiative the bill would be withdrawn from the legislative body.

Parliament postponed discussions on the marijuana export bill on 17 September, after the church and the opposition strongly opposed the initiative.

Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze stated then that a time was needed to raise people’s awareness regarding the initiative.