The recent death of a young individual from an apparent drug overdose has reignited concerns about the state’s drug policies, with some calling for its softening and others for its toughening. Whether it’s from a policy, health, social or religious perspective, everyone agrees there is an “overdose” of challenges the country faces when it comes to drugs.
The death caused the discussions on TV programs and social networks about the inadequateness of the state drug policy and prompted Christian orthodox cleric’s outdoor service near the biggest Tbilisi nightclub on February 9, to pray to save “strayed” young souls. However, as always, debates and discussions continued until the fresh news pushed the topic out of the public discourse and TV screens, most likely until the next tragedy.
Bassiani Statement
Rumors circulated for several days at the end of January regarding another overdose death of a young individual before the prominent Bassiani night club, where incident allegedly took place clarified the details of the tragic death of a 19-year old woman in its statement about the fatal incident. According to Bassiani, a young woman visited the club on Sunday, January 27 event, at 7:30 a.m. local time. At 10:40 a.m. “for reasons not yet identified,” she became unwell. Bassiani stated that the woman received immediate first aid from qualified personnel on-site, and within approximately 10-12 minutes, she was transported to the hospital, where she later passed away. The club did not specify the cause of the young woman’s death.
Amid accusations that blamed club culture for the incident and alleged another similar occurrence, Bassiani club expressed lament over what they labeled as a “discreditation campaign” against the club. They vehemently denied rumors of another drug overdose incident within the club premises. The club urged the individuals behind this campaign to halt what they referred to as “shameless manipulation of the tragedy.” The club stressed that a similar campaign in the past had resulted in a police raid in 2018, which led to unrest and protest rallies.
Emphasizing its commitment to providing a safe environment, Bassiani club highlighted its employment of over 50 staff members with appropriate first aid qualifications. The club attributed the challenges to the harsh drug policy of the state, asserting that Georgia’s current approach “is not geared towards solving the problem but rather becomes the source of the problem itself, and at times, regrettably, the cause of tragedies.” Urging a shift in focus, the club management called upon those who “demonize and discredit club culture” to redirect their attention towards reminding the state of its responsibility. The club emphasized the need for the state to wield its primary lever for systemic change in order to reduce harm and develop a compassionate and humane drug policy.
Drug-related Statistics: Navigating in Hazy Reality
“Of course, this is a very bad fact. It’s not the first [such incident], and it’s one of those [incidents] that has become public, but unfortunately such facts are not rare. There are about 30 to 40 such cases of [drug] overdose deaths every year. It’s a global problem, believe me…” – said Vakhtang Gomelauri, Minister of Internal Affairs, confirming the death of the young woman. He did not specify the drug overdose statistics, which remains an open question.
Gomelauri also pointed out that Georgia is a transit country, so “unfortunately [drugs] come in” and “we [the state] cannot cover 100%” [of the border].”
The Minister acknowledged the need for changing the state policy, although he refrained from offering a definitive vision of how this should be executed. He appeared ambiguous regarding his inclination towards either tightening or softening the drug policy, emphasizing instead the requirement for a comprehensive approach. He stated, “I could suggest that yes, we should tighten it, although in numerous instances, this tightening proves ineffective… The approach must be multifaceted.”
Meanwhile, MIA crime statistics for 2023 reveal a 20.53 percent increase in the detection of drug-related crimes by law enforcement officers compared to 2022. The MIA attributes this rise to “the effective legal policy implemented by the police against the illegal distribution of narcotics and the active fight against drug-related crimes.” It remains unclear to what extent this increase is a result of increased narcotics consumption versus the purported “effective work” of law enforcement agencies.
The Opposing views
Drug-related issues may not attract as much attention as other contentious topics on Georgia’s political battlegrounds. Nevertheless, some political leaders have addressed the issue.
Zurab Girchi Japaridze, leader of the libertarian “Girchi-More Freedom” party, accused the Government of deliberately neglecting to address the root cause: “As long as people have to buy drugs on the black market and are chased by the police, there will be victims,” Japaridze said in his statement. He added that under the current system, people still manage to get the drugs, albeit without knowledge of their quality and chemical composition. “As long as the objective of drug policy is to control people, extort money from them and use them to mobilize votes for elections, this reality will not change,” – he said, blaming the system in general, including the MIA and the Georgian Orthodox Church, for opposing the liberalization of the existing policy. Regarding the tragic death, Japaridze contended that it was caused by the fact that the “system forced her to buy something she did not know.” He said he believed that “if that happened in daylight,” such an incident could have been averted.
Ana Dolidze, leader of the relatively left-wing “For the People” party, said that “Georgia is flooded with drugs”. However, Dolidze believes the drugs are “freely accessible,” including through social media platforms such as Telegram. Thus, she blamed the government for not having enough and effective control of the issue. Moreover, Dolidze claimed that the Government cooperates with dealers, because otherwise, she states, the drugs would not have been accessible in the country. She suggested the ruling authorities should strengthen the border control mechanisms to better control and monitor the flow of illegal substances.
Giorgi Gakharia, former Prime Minister and current leader of the “For Georgia” political party, who gained notoriety as the architect behind the highly publicized police raid on the Bassiani club in 2018 during his tenure as Minister of Interior, asserts that the country has “neither repressive nor liberal drug policy.” According to him, Georgia does not have any drug policy at all. Despite this, Gakharia staunchly argued that “club drugs do not exist; drugs are drugs, and they are as deadly as any other,” – a statement that apparently indicating apparent consistency in his stance on the matter.
Prayers for “strayed” youth
Following the tragic death of the 19-year-old girl, the rector of Tbilisi Vake Cathedral, Shalva Kekelia, along with hundreds of parishioners, congregated near the Bassiani club on Friday night, February 9th. They conducted a service and voiced criticism not only of the drug policy but also the clubs themselves. Addressing the public, Kekelia expressed his hope that “the Government, the opposition, the journalists, the NGOs will contemplate this issue” and urged the youth, who have “strayed from the right path,” to self-reflect and “come back [from the clubs].”
Social Justice Center Recommendations
The Social Justice Center (SJC), a local watchdog, issued a statement regarding an alleged overdose death case, in which it identifies existing problems and calls on the government to take specific steps.
The SJC urged the state to establish an Early Warning System (EWS) to monitor the drug market and detect dangerous substances. It emphasized the importance of improving accessibility to Naloxone, which can reverse opioid overdose and is available without a prescription since 2022, but remains scarce in pharmacies. The watchdog also called for strengthening drug prevention education in schools and obtaining reliable statistics, especially concerning annual overdose deaths, currently unavailable in Georgia. Additionally, it advocated for a proactive information campaign to raise awareness about the risks of psychoactive substances.
SCJ noted that the state must undertake a fundamental reform of drug policy, “which will prioritize supporting individual health protection and implementing preventive actions instead of punitive measures.”
No Sign of Novel Approach
Reports of alleged drug black markets in clubs often lead to police raids. Individuals charged with using club drugs for personal consumption may face lengthy prison sentences. Despite differing views on potential solutions, the issue remains notably absent from broader political discussions, even amidst the onset of an election year, while drug use continues to rise annually.
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