Driving under the influence of drugs will be criminal offence starting April 2019

Driving under the influence of drugs will become a criminal offence in Georgia starting in April 2019.

The law states that an individual must not be impaired (through alcohol, drugs or any combination of both) while driving or in charge of a vehicle.

The parliament’s legal issues committee went through the third reading of the bill on marijuana consumption introduced by the chair of the committee, Eka Beselia.

During the meeting, Beselia stated that “members of the committee asked if law-enforcement organs were prepared and ready for the relevant procedures. By April 2019, the staff will be trained and provided with equipment, while public awareness will be raised”.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

These tests can be used as evidence of driver impairment in prosecution for drug driving. The accused would be imprisoned for a year or punished with a fine”, added Beselia.

The same law keeps a ban on consumption of marijuana:

• In public spaces;
• In public transport;
• In the presence of a minor;
• Within, and on the property of educational institutions, as well as venues designated for individuals aged under 18;
• At public gatherings for minors, and within a certain radius of them;
• During work activity for certain professions (examples include medical professions, teachers and public servants);

In July 2018 the Constitutional Court of Georgia delivered a verdict which deemed unlawful the administrative punishment for marijuana consumption.