Georgia could ease strict penalties for drug users

New details have been unveiled about the proposed changes to Georgia’s drug laws, which foresee differentiating penalties for people who deal and use drugs.

The proposed amendment to Article 260 of the Criminal Code of Georgia outlined separation of criminal liability for people who purchase, or possess drugs and those who sell drugs.

Under the changes, the upper limit of the penalty for illegal production, purchase, storage, transportation or transfer of drugs, its analogues or precursors and new psychoactive substances, has been reduced from 11 years imprisonment to a maximum penalty of six years imprisonment.

Changes will also affect people who commit the same crime as mentioned above but with large amount of drugs, through a group with preliminary agreement, through abuse of power, or by a person who has already committed a crime under the same Article. In such cases, the offender will face a prison sentence of anywhere between five and eight years. Under the current law, the penalty for these people notes imprisonment from seven to 14 years.

Meanwhile the penalties for selling drugs will now be regulated under a separate chapter of Article 260 and will foresee a prison sentence from six to 11 years.

However, if this crime has been committed by a person with a large amount of drugs in their possession, by a group with preliminary agreement, through abuse of power, or by a person who has already committed any kind of crime under the same Article, the penalty would increase from seven to 14 years behind bars.

In addition, if the drugs were being sold in exceptionally large amounts or by an organised group, the penalty in this case would increase from eight to 20 years, or lifelong imprisonment.

Parliament of Georgia has not begun to discuss the proposed amendments yet.