For years, a liberal drug policy was artificially imposed on our country from the outside, affecting more families—this was the exact intention behind it, to ensure that the severity of the drug problem impacted more people and households in Georgia! This statement was made by Rati Ionatamishvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, during a committee session.

Ionatamishvili emphasized the importance of the state taking a strict approach to tackling the issue.

"Today, even leading countries struggle with fighting drug-related crimes. Due to modern technologies, detecting organized networks and combating them has become even more difficult. The challenge has also intensified with the emergence of new drugs," Ionatamishvili said.

For reference, the "Georgian Dream" legislative package, which proposes stricter penalties for drug-related offenses, including those involving cannabis and marijuana, has passed its first reading in the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Civil Integration.

The proposed amendments affect eight different laws, including the Criminal Code, the Code of Administrative Offenses, and the Law on Organized Crime and Racketeering. As part of toughening drug policy, several new provisions will be added to criminal legislation.