PM Kobakhidze announces ban on private import of psychotropic drugs

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced a sweeping ban on the import of psychotropic medications by private companies, citing growing concerns over their misuse for narcotic purposes.

Speaking at a government briefing on Wednesday, Kobakhidze said the consumption of psychotropic drugs - particularly benzodiazepines - has reached “unreasonable” levels, raising questions about their non-medical use across the country.

“Even a superficial analysis shows that the consumption of psychotropic medications in Georgia, especially benzodiazepines, significantly exceeds reasonable rates,” Kobakhidze stated. “This reinforces the public’s well-founded suspicion that these drugs are being widely used for narcotic purposes.”

To curb the alleged misuse, the government will revoke private firms' rights to import these substances, transferring full control over their import and sale to the state, he pledged.

“Private entities currently have a direct financial interest in artificially boosting the use of these medications,” the Prime Minister said. “From now on, only the state will be authorised to import and distribute psychotropic drugs subject to special control.”

Kobakhidze also announced tighter regulations on the prescription and dispensing of such medications, promising continuous monitoring of usage data as a key metric of success.

“A significant drop in the consumption of psychotropic drugs will be clear evidence that the state has successfully addressed the issue of misuse,” he said.