Ex-PM: If Marijuana Cultivation Is Dangerous, We Will Not Do It

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the Prime Minister of the country in 2012-2013, says the discussion on the bill of production and export of marijuana for cosmetic and medical purposes will continue but if it is proven to be really dangerous, the bill will not be adopted.

“The draft bill that was submitted to Parliament includes the production of marijuana for medical and cosmetic purposes and does not envisage the consumption of marijuana. We saw the reaction of society, the reaction of the Patriarchate and we suspended this bill,” he told journalists on Tuesday night.

The ex-PM says that the only reason for considering the issue is the huge amount of income it could bring the country.

“The charm of production and the reason for drafting it is a very big profit, which is interesting for me - more than 500%- and there are real calculations that a million dollars worth of product can be exported in one, two or three years,” he said.

Ivanishvili also said that the United States, England, Israel, Greece and Italy produce marijuana for medicinal and cosmetic purposes and export it.

“The discussion will continue, including with the Patriarchate, and if we are persuaded that this is dangerous, our team has never gone against society and it will not do so in future,” he said.

In mid-September, the government announced that they plan to legalize marijuana cultivation only for export purposes for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

The draft was prepared and presented to the cabinet members by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). According to the draft, marijuana production would be announced as a licensed activity.

According to the bill, the licensing conditions will define the geographical area, quantity and other issues related to marijuana production in Georgia.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Giorgi Gakharia, stated a special agency would be set up for licensing marijuana cultivation.

After the Church voiced its harsh position and criticized the initiative, Georgia’s Parliament Speaker, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced that discussions over the issue in the legislative body have been delayed, in order to launch wider consultations.

By Thea Morrison

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