Parliament’s Human Rights Committee supports partial decriminalization of marijuana
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, July 2
Parliament’s Human Rights Committee is not for the complete decriminalization of marijuana usage but the committee members believe that criminal detention should not be the punishment in case of marijuana possession.
The committee members state that imposing a fine and community service will be sufficient for such offenses.
They believe that the current one year imprisonment for marijuana users is a too harsh a sentence.
The issue has been causing controversy in Georgia.
Several rallies have been organized by those supporting the decriminalization of the marijuana usage.
They think it is not right that the law treats dealers and users of marijuana the same way; the protesters said they were not advertising marijuana but protecting the personal freedoms of those who smoke it.
Labor, Health-Care, and Social Protections Minister David Sergeyenko said in a televised statement in response of the statements that his ministry was discussing the possible legalization of marijuana with Georgia's Justice Ministry.
Those opposing the decriminalization state that if the action is decriminalized, one might let himself to smoke any place he wants that might violate others rights and encourage the youth to do the same.
They also stress that the condition, after smoking, might lead to illegal activities as in such a condition of inebriation one fails to think properly.
