The Healthcare and Social Issues Committee has discussed the legislative initiative of MPs Alexander Rakviashvili, Iago Khvichia and Vakhtang Megrelishvili, which envisages amendments to the Law on Combating Drug-related Crime and the Criminal Code.

The rapporteur, MP Vakhtang Megrelishvili, while talking about the basic principles of the bills, noted that people should not be imprisoned in the form of criminal liability for cannabis group substances.

According to him, the goal of the document is to free persons who have been imprisoned for crimes involving cannabis products and, in general, to eliminate criminal culpability for these offenses. The bill's authors feel that the penalty for illegally purchasing, storing, shipping, forwarding, and/or selling marijuana or its byproducts should be repealed.

According to David Sergeenko, a member of the Committee and Vice-Speaker, drug policy is to be amended, the consumer is not a criminal and needs to be supported and treated, unlike a drug dealer, although the proposed initiative is, in fact, for the favor of legalization.

"My general view toward drug policy is centered on two issues: reducing consumption and reducing supply, both of which should eventually lead to a reduction in harm. I honestly did not see these guarantees here at this time. The suggested project is neither a means of lowering consumption or decreasing supply. We should make education, sports, and work more accessible to young people”, - David Sergeenko noted.

According to Dimitri Khundadze, Chairman of the Committee, the authors of the proposed legislative initiative are, in fact, promoting drugs.

"To some extent, what we're talking about here promotes marijuana. It worries me and I believe it is unsafe. As a result, I believe that decriminalization should be done with caution, and that such questions should not be addressed or decided at the price of popularization. As an MP, I cannot support this bill since I believe it is virtually similar to legalizing; nonetheless, I am prepared to move forward in the sphere of drug policy, make certain decisions, and properly work on the bill”, - he stated.

The Committee did not support the legislative initiative.