{
  "id": 14960377,
  "title": "Russian emigrants thought marijuana use was safe in Georgia. Now some are facing years behind bars.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/russian-emigrants-thought-marijuana-use-was-safe-in-georgia-now-some",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T12:39:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/16/russian-emigrants-thought-marijuana-use-was-safe-in-georgia-now-some-are-facing-years-behind-bars"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2026, Russian emigrants residing in Georgia are discovering that the seemingly lenient marijuana laws have changed drastically. Prior to 2025, Georgia had permitted the use of marijuana since 2018, allowing for the acquisition and possession of the drug even in large quantities without prison sentences. However, the Georgian authorities have since tightened the country's drug laws for both residents and visitors.\n\nIn the first nine months of 2026 alone, Georgia's Prosecutor General's Office registered over 200 drug-related crimes committed by Russian citizens, with some now serving time in Georgian prisons. One such individual is Masha Ova, a 25-year-old woman serving a two-year sentence in a women's prison in Rustavi. Masha moved to Georgia in 2023 after fleeing Russia due to the ongoing war with Ukraine. Initially, she worked at a tattoo studio and performed in various rock bands, occasionally even taking on a \"helper\" role for friends who wished to smoke marijuana.\n\nIn early May 2026, Masha disappeared and a court-appointed lawyer contacted her friend, who learned that Masha had been detained. Police found four grams of marijuana in her apartment, along with scales containing traces of narcotic substances. Masha admitted guilt immediately and did not contest the charges, as her lawyer, David Lagadze, explained. The arrest stemmed from the strict new drug laws introduced by the Georgian Dream party in 2025, which effectively broadened the scope of marijuana-related offenses and harshened penalties.",
  "summary": "People visiting Tbilisi for the first time are sometimes surprised by how often they can smell cannabis in the city. That’s because Georgia has effectively allowed the legal use of marijuana since 2018. In addition, acquiring and possessing the drug, even in large quantities, has often not resulted in prison sentences. The situation changed dramatically in 2025, when Georgian authorities…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}