The Georgian parliament has postponed debate on a bill
that would legalize the production of marijuana, putting it on a back burner
until after a presidential election that is less than three weeks away.
A
parliament resolution issued on October 9 said discussion of the proposed
legislation, part of a push to relax laws governing marijuana in the South
Caucasus country, will resume in two months.
Citing
lawmakers and politicians, media report that the delay is intended to separate
the controversial issue from the campaign for the October 28 presidential
election.
The influential Georgian Orthodox Church has long voiced opposition to the bill, calling on lawmakers to scrap it entirely.
