On Combating Drug Crime

Law of Georgia

On Combating Drug Crime

Article 1. Purpose of the Law🔗

The purpose of this Law is to facilitate the combating of drug crime, the prevention of the spread of drug addiction, the protection of private, public and state interests from infringement by drug traffickers and facilitators of drug activity, as well as the prevention of the use and distribution of narcotic drugs.

Law of Georgia No. 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.04.2025

Article 2. Definition of terms🔗

For the purposes of this Law, the terms used have the following meaning:

a) drug crime – a crime provided for by Chapter XXXIII of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

b) user of a narcotic drug − a person who has committed a crime provided for by Article 273, paragraph 1 of Article 273¹ and/or Article 275/Article 276 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (if the commission of the crime under the influence of a narcotic/psychotropic/new psychoactive substance is established);

c) facilitator of drug activity − a person who has committed a crime provided for by Articles 260−260² and 261−268 or Article 271, 272 or 273¹ of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

d) drug trafficker − a person who has committed a crime provided for by Article 260³ of the Criminal Code of Georgia;

e) facilitator of the distribution of a narcotic drug – a natural or legal person or a group of persons who has committed a crime provided for by Chapter XXXIII of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which resulted in a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance being placed into illicit circulation.

Law of Georgia No. 2044 of 5 March 2014 - website, 12.03.2014

Law of Georgia No. 1220 of 26 July 2017 - website, 28.07.2017

Law of Georgia No. 3776 of 30 November 2018 – website, 20.12.2018

Law of Georgia No. 504 of 16 April 2025 – website, 17.04.2025

Article 3. Deprivation of Rights🔗

1. On the basis of a court's conviction judgment, a drug user shall be deprived for 5 years of:

a) the right to drive a vehicle;

b) the right to medical and/or pharmaceutical activity, as well as the right to found, manage and represent a pharmacy;

c) the right to practice law;

d) the right to activity in a pedagogical and educational institution;

e) the right to activity in public service;

f) the passive electoral right;

g) the right to manufacture, acquire, keep and carry weapons.

1¹. In the case provided for by Article 45, 45¹ or 100² of the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, the court shall deprive a person of the right provided for by subparagraph "a" of paragraph 1 of this Article for a term of 3 years, and of the rights provided for by subparagraphs "d", "e" and "g" of the same paragraph — for a term of 5 years. The court may deprive a person of one or several rights provided for by subparagraphs "b", "c" and "f" of paragraph 1 of this Article for a term of up to 5 years. The deprivation of the rights provided for by this Article shall be noted in the operative part of the court's decision.

2. On the basis of a court's conviction judgment, a facilitator of drug activity or a facilitator of the distribution of a narcotic substance shall be deprived of the right provided for by subparagraph "b" of paragraph 1 of this Article for 10 years, and of the rights provided for by subparagraphs "a" and "c"–"g" — for 5 years.

3. In the case of repeated commission of the crime provided for by subparagraph "c" or "e" of Article 2 of this Law, a facilitator of drug activity or a facilitator of the distribution of a narcotic substance shall be deprived of the right provided for by subparagraph "a" of paragraph 1 of this Article for 5 years, of the rights provided for by subparagraphs "c"–"g" — for 10 years, and of the right provided for by subparagraph "b" — for 15 years.

4. On the basis of a court's conviction judgment, a drug dealer shall be deprived of the right provided for by subparagraph "a" of paragraph 1 of this Article for 5 years, of the rights provided for by subparagraphs "c"–"g" — for 15 years, and of the right provided for by subparagraph "b" — for 20 years.

4¹. In the case of the conclusion of a plea agreement between the parties, it is possible to reduce the term of deprivation of the rights provided for by this Article or, in a special case, to fully release from the deprivation of rights.

5. The deprivation of the rights provided for by this Article shall be noted in the operative part of the court's conviction judgment.

6. The court shall immediately notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection of Georgia, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Central Election Commission of Georgia and the Legal Entity of Public Law — the Georgian Bar Association, of the deprivation of rights of a drug user, a facilitator of drug activity or a drug dealer.

Law of Georgia of 4 December 2009 No. 2227 - LHG I No. 45, 21.12.2009, Art. 344

Law of Georgia of 25 February 2011 No. 4257 – website, 10.03.2011

Law of Georgia of 27 March 2012 No. 5924 – website, 19.04.2012

Law of Georgia of 5 March 2014 No. 2044 - website, 12.03.2014

Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No. 3116 – website, 11.07.2018

Law of Georgia of 30 November 2018 No. 3776 – website, 20.12.2018

Law of Georgia of 15 July 2020 No. 6954 – website, 28.07.2020

Law of Georgia of 16 March 2021 No. 368 – website, 18.03.2021

Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No. 3854 – website, 15.12.2023

Law of Georgia of 16 April 2025 No. 504 – website, 17.04.2025

Law of Georgia of 2 July 2025 No. 927 – website, 03.07.2025

Article 4. Confiscation of Property🔗

Property that is unlawful and/or unjustified and that facilitates the distribution of a narcotic drug shall be confiscated in accordance with the procedure established by Chapter XLIV¹ of the Civil Procedure Code of Georgia.

Article 5. Calculation of Time Limits🔗

The running of the term of the restrictions provided for by Article 3 of this Law shall begin:

a) upon conviction with imprisonment – immediately upon the serving of the sentence imposed by the judgment;

b) in the case of the application of a conditional conviction – from the moment the probation period begins;

c) in the case of the application of a non-custodial sentence – from the moment of the adoption of the final decision on the case;

d) in the case provided for by Article 45, 45¹ or 100² of the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia − from the moment of the adoption of the final decision on the case.

Law of Georgia of 16 April 2025 No. 504 – website, 17.04.2025

Law of Georgia of 2 July 2025 No. 927 – website, 03.07.2025

Article 6. Restoration of rights🔗

1. For a narcotic drug user, a facilitator of narcotic activity, a facilitator of narcotic drug distribution or a drug dealer, the acquisition of the forfeited rights shall be permissible after the expiry of the relevant term indicated in Article 3 of this Law or in the case provided for by paragraph 1¹ of this Article.

1¹. The permanent commission reviewing matters of cancellation of conditional conviction of the Legal Entity of Public Law operating in the sphere of governance of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia — the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Enforcement of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation (hereinafter — the Commission) is entitled, taking into account the person's behaviour, after the expiry of one third of the relevant term indicated in Article 3 of this Law, to restore to the person the forfeited rights early or to reduce the term of forfeiture of rights. The forfeited rights provided for by subparagraphs „a“ and „g“ of paragraph 1 of Article 3 of this Law shall be restored to the person on the basis of a decision of the Commission after the fulfilment of the requirements determined by the legislation of Georgia.

1². In the case provided for by Article 45, 45¹ or 100² of the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, the acquisition of the right/rights forfeited to a person shall be permissible after the expiry of the term determined by the court.

1³. (Removed - 17.12.2025, No. 1344).

2. In the case provided for by subparagraph „b“ of Article 5 of this Law, if the length of the probation period exceeds the length of the term of forfeiture of rights, the forfeited rights shall be restored after the expiry of the probation period, except for the cases provided for by paragraph 4¹ of Article 3 of this Law and paragraph 1¹ of this Article.

3. The exercise of rights shall not be permissible without the submission to the relevant state body of a forensic medical examination conclusion issued by a state expert institution.

4. Violation (non-fulfilment) by a narcotic drug user, a facilitator of narcotic activity, a facilitator of narcotic drug distribution or a drug dealer of the restrictions provided for by this Law shall entail the imposition of the liability established by Article 381 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

5. (Removed - 17.03.2020, No. 5770).

Law of Georgia of 25 February 2011 No. 4257 – website, 10.03.2011.

Law of Georgia of 27 March 2012 No. 5924 – website, 19.04.2012.

Law of Georgia of 4 October 2013 No. 1472 - website, 16.10.2013.

Law of Georgia of 13 December 2013 No. 1785 - website, 28.12.2013.

Law of Georgia of 5 March 2014 No. 2044 - website, 12.03.2014.

Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No. 3116 – website, 11.07.2018.

Law of Georgia of 30 November 2018 No. 3776 – website, 20.12.2018.

Law of Georgia of 29 November 2019 No. 5397 – website, 10.12.2019.

Law of Georgia of 17 March 2020 No. 5770 – website, 23.03.2020.

Law of Georgia of 16 April 2025 No. 504 – website, 17.04.2025.

Law of Georgia of 2 July 2025 No. 927– website, 03.07.2025.

Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1344 – website, 17.12.2025.

Article 7. Transitional provisions🔗

1. The restrictions provided for by this Law with respect to the person provided for by subparagraph „b“ of Article 2 of this Law shall enter into force from 1 November 2007.

2. The Government of Georgia shall be instructed, within 2 months from the entry into force of this Law, to ensure the compliance of the legislation of Georgia with this Law.

Article 8. Final provision🔗

This Law shall enter into force on the 15th day from publication.

President of Georgia M. Saakashvili

Tbilisi,

3 July 2007.

No. 5183–rs