Georgian Constitutional Court decides prison is too harsh a punishment for cannabis use

Being charged with possession and consumption of marijuana will no longer land you in jail in Georgia, after the Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled it unconstitutional to use sanctions prescribed by the law for consumption, purchase, possession and cultivation of the plant for individual purposes.

The Court made its decision based on a lawsuit filed by the Public Defender’s Office, demanding to suspend the penalty of imprisonment, as it is an ‘irrelevant, too strict and degrading’ form of punishment.

“The Constitutional Court found that the norms referring to the use of a small amount of marijuana, as well as its purchase, storage and product on, are unconstitutional,” the statement reads.

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