Georgia's CC responds to opponents of marijuana legalization

The Constitutional Court (CC) of Georgia has treated as unjustified those assessments and statements made by the clergy in connection with the decision made by the CC on marijuana consumption.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 30 the Georgia's CC satisfied the claim of the "Girchi" Party activists and found administrative punishments for consuming marijuana unconstitutional.

The Georgian Church criticized the CC's decision. Archpriest Andria Djagmaidze, the rector of the Kiket Church, demanded, on behalf of the Patriarchate, to abolish the CC.

"How can it be possible that four persons, Judges of the Constitutional Court, ignore the will of four million people, and make completely pernicious decisions following some incomprehensible logic," he said on the air of the "Imedi" TV Company.

On August 5, Elias II, the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, made a statement, which also condemned the CC's decision.

"We need to remember that a permit to use narcotic drugs is hostile to our nation," says the official statement of Elias II, posted on the Patriarchate's website.

In its turn, the Georgia's CC has treated the assessment of its decision on marijuana as unjustified.

"The allegations that we have 'legalized' a narcotic substance – marijuana – are far away from the essence of our decision and are misinterpretation thereof," the "Interfax" quotes on August 11 the CC's statement.

The statement, in particular, explains that the CC has declared the administrative responsibility for consuming marijuana, if it creates no risk for third parties, to be unconstitutional.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 12, 2018 at 05:18 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.