PM vows tougher anti-drug measures, says attempts to promote drug use in Georgia “unacceptable”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday announced a push for a stricter drug policy, with a particular focus on cracking down on drug dealers.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze noted that a large-scale police operation had recently led to the arrest of 18 major drug traffickers and stressed the need for further legal reforms to combat drug distribution effectively and protect citizens - particularly the youth - from addiction.

“Drug addiction is a serious disease, and we must first and foremost protect those who are users. This requires a tightening of drug policy, especially against dealers”, he said.

“You see there are also opaque sources of foreign funding involved, with certain individuals attempting to encourage drug use in Georgia and popularising substances like marijuana and club drugs. This is categorically unacceptable. We will not allow anyone to do this”, the PM continued.

Kobakhidze further highlighted steps already taken, including stricter regulation of psychotropic medication imports and transferring control of substitution therapy to the state, as part of a broader effort to fight both legal and illegal forms of drug distribution.