58,000 Georgian people call for a change in drug legislation

On Wednesday, December 10 2008 , Georgian Harm Reduction Network submitted 58,000 signatures in support of their legislative initiative to change current draconian punishments for drug use and drug possession in the country. For the first time in Georgia’s history, a constitutional right of citizens to initiate changes in legislation was used in practice.

Georgia with population of 4.6 million has one of the most restrictive drug legislation and its application in Europe. Thousands of people are being tested and punished for simple drug use. In 2007 alone, more than 20 million US dollars were collected through very high fines. Having traces of any psychoactive substance is punishable by administrative and criminal law. On the other hand, drug treatment and services are limited, while government’s scale up plan is under way.

Georgian Harm Reduction Network (GHRN) proposed the following changes:  Removal of criminal liability for drug use;
Setting up clear separation of the offences for the possession of drugs for personal use and for dealing;
Removal of administrative fines for drug use;
Removal of restrictions set for drug users;
Setting up more specific obligations for the state, to provide treatment for drug dependents.
More humane approach should reduce prison population, involve more people into the treatment services, improve socio-economical situation in the country, and reduce an overall criminality.

Previous GHRN attempts to propose new drug legislation in Parliament directly were not successful. Therefore GHRN decided to use citizens’ right to initiate changes into the drug legislation.

Over the last 40 days, the Georgian Harm Reduction Network, its partners and friends outreached to ten thousands of people asking for their support. The positive response was overwhelming: the Network collected roughly twice as many signatures as required by Constitution.

The Parliament will schedule hearings of new suggested legislation sometime in January or February 2009.