Is Cocaine legal in Georgia?

Legal status

Controlled under the Criminal Code (Arts 260/265¹/273) — July 2025 amendments sharply re-criminalized: selling ANY amount of ANY drug now 12 years to LIFE; acquisition/possession scales by quantity (Art 260); small-quantity possession administrative (Code of Administrative Offences Art 45¹, first offence); plus up to 5-year disqualifications (driving/public service/teaching/legal practice); no death penalty (abolished)

Consequences if caught

Cocaine is controlled in Georgia under the Criminal Code (Arts 260/265¹/273), sharply re-criminalized by the July 2025 amendments. In Georgia (Council of Europe member; death penalty abolished), the current (2025) law is hard. July 2025 amendments repealed Art 273¹ and extended Art 260 (narcotics) to cover cannabis, sharply re-criminalizing drug offences: illegal purchase or possession of more than 5 g of dried marijuana carries up to 6 years; 70–250 g dried carries 5–8 years; production or transport of those amounts carries 6–9 years; and selling ANY amount of ANY drug now carries 12 years to life imprisonment. Additional sanctions include up to a 5-year disqualification from driving, public service, teaching or educational activity, and legal practice. Art 260 covers illegal acquisition, possession, production or transport of narcotics (now including cannabis); Art 265¹ covers cultivation of narcotic plants; Art 273 covers personal use or keeping of small quantities (historically — partly voided by the 2017 Constitutional Court 'Shanidze' ruling that decriminalized cannabis consumption, then restructured in 2025). Small-quantity acquisition or possession is administrative under the Code of Administrative Offences Art 45¹ (a first offence is typically administrative; a repeat may become criminal). The 2017–18 liberalization of cannabis USE was largely reversed for possession and supply in July 2025 — the stale 'Georgia decriminalized cannabis' framing no longer holds.

If prescribed or medical

Not a prescribed traveller medicine in this form.

Documentation

In Georgia (Council of Europe member; death penalty abolished), the current (2025) law is hard. July 2025 amendments repealed Art 273¹ and extended Art 260 (narcotics) to cover cannabis, sharply re-criminalizing drug offences: illegal purchase or possession of more than 5 g of dried marijuana carries up to 6 years; 70–250 g dried carries 5–8 years; production or transport of those amounts carries 6–9 years; and selling ANY amount of ANY drug now carries 12 years to life imprisonment. Additional sanctions include up to a 5-year disqualification from driving, public service, teaching or educational activity, and legal practice. Art 260 covers illegal acquisition, possession, production or transport of narcotics (now including cannabis); Art 265¹ covers cultivation of narcotic plants; Art 273 covers personal use or keeping of small quantities (historically — partly voided by the 2017 Constitutional Court 'Shanidze' ruling that decriminalized cannabis consumption, then restructured in 2025). Small-quantity acquisition or possession is administrative under the Code of Administrative Offences Art 45¹ (a first offence is typically administrative; a repeat may become criminal). The 2017–18 liberalization of cannabis USE was largely reversed for possession and supply in July 2025 — the stale 'Georgia decriminalized cannabis' framing no longer holds. Cannabis private-property use was decriminalized in 2017–18, but possession over 5 g was re-criminalized in July 2025 (up to 6 years) and selling any amount carries 12 years to life. Carry any controlled medicine with its prescription and confirm requirements with your embassy before travel.

Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Georgia’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.