# Cocaine, MDMA, amphetamine in Georgia — amounts and penalties In a cocaine, ecstasy or amphetamine case, the amount decides almost everything — and the thresholds are tiny: 0.6 g of cocaine is already a 'large amount'. Below is the law's official table and the penalties. In such a case you need a lawyer before the first interview. - Confidential - Georgian · English · Russian - Free first consultation - Courts of all instances Obtaining or keeping a narcotic drug is punished under Article 260: above the small amount — up to 6 years in prison; a large amount — 5 to 8 years; especially large — 8 to 20 years or life. A small amount and use are an administrative offence — a GEL 500–2,000 fine or up to 60 days' detention. Ketamine and GHB are psychotropic substances, punished under Article 261. New psychoactive substances — including what is sold as 'spice' or 'bio' — are treated separately: under Article 260 any amount is a crime, with up to 6 years in prison. ## Amounts in grams SubstanceSmallLargeEspecially largeCocaine0.060.62Ecstasy (MDMA)0.050.51Amphetamine0.0050.11Methamphetamine0.0050.11Mephedrone0.010.11'Alpha' (α-PVP)0.0010.21Hashish (cannabis resin)0.050.55LSD0.000020.00020.001Ketamine (psychotropic)0.113GHB (psychotropic)11050 Up to the small amount — an administrative case; above it — a criminal case; the 'large' and 'especially large' columns mark the harsher penalty bands. The amount is set by a forensic examination — that is often where we find errors. ## At a club or party - Handing drugs to a friend, even for free, is a transfer (Article 260²) — 10 to 15 years; selling — 12 to 20 years or life - Searches and tests must follow the legal procedure — ask for a lawyer - A person punished for drug use loses their driving licence for 3 years - Anyone who voluntarily hands drugs over before an investigation starts, reporting it in writing or by phone, is released from criminal liability ## Our services - Defence in cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine cases - Checking the forensic examination and amount - Keeping or transfer — the right classification - Lawfulness of the search and seizure - New psychoactive substance cases - Defending foreigners, with an interpreter ## Questions & answers ### How many grams of cocaine is a crime? Up to 0.06 g is a small amount — an administrative case. Above 0.06 g it's a criminal case, above 0.6 g a large amount (5 to 8 years), above 2 g especially large (8 to 20 years or life). ### How many ecstasy pills count as a large amount? A large amount is 0.5 g of MDMA, and the MDMA content of a pill varies — the forensic examination establishes it. So even a few pills can count as a large amount. ### How much 'spice' is a crime? Any amount of a new psychoactive substance is a crime — up to 6 years in prison. ### I'm a foreigner — what happens? The rules are the same. You have the right to an interpreter and a lawyer; don't sign anything you don't understand. We work in English and Russian. ## Legal basis - [Criminal Code of Georgia](https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/16426) - [Law on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Precursors and Narcological Assistance](https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/1670322) - [Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia](https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/28216) Official texts (in Georgian) — Legislative Herald of Georgia, matsne.gov.ge. ## Related topics - [#Criminal law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) - [#Your rights](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/what-to-do-if-detained/) - [#For foreigners](https://mmlaw.ge/en/foreigners/) - - [Criminal cases · For foreigners](https://mmlaw.ge/en/foreigners/criminal-defense-for-foreigners/) - - [Foreigner arrested in Georgia: rights and first steps](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/foreigner-arrested-in-georgia/) - - [Criminal defence lawyer](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) - - [Cybercrime lawyer](https://mmlaw.ge/en/cybercrime-lawyer/) - - [Juvenile lawyer in Georgia: legal help for minors](https://mmlaw.ge/en/juvenile-justice-lawyer/) - - [Detained in Georgia? Your rights and what to do](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/what-to-do-if-detained/) - - [Police search in Georgia: your rights and what to do](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/police-search-your-rights/) - - [Fraud charges in Georgia: penalties and your defence](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/fraud-charges-in-georgia/) Practice areas ## Other practice areas - [Criminal defense](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) — Defense at every stage — from investigation and arrest to trial and appeal. - [Drug offences](https://mmlaw.ge/en/drug-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in cases of buying, possessing, selling and importing drugs — and against fines and administrative detention. - [Cybercrime](https://mmlaw.ge/en/cybercrime-lawyer/) — Defense in cybercrime cases and help for victims of online fraud, hacked accounts and blackmail. - [Property crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/property-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in theft, robbery, fraud, extortion, embezzlement and misappropriation cases. - [Economic crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/economic-crime-lawyer/) — Defence against tax evasion, money laundering, customs and other economic charges. - [Corruption and official crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corruption-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in bribery, trading in influence and abuse of official power cases. - [Violent crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/violent-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in assault, bodily injury, threats and homicide cases — including self-defence. - [Juvenile justice](https://mmlaw.ge/en/juvenile-justice-lawyer/) — Specialised representation of minors, focused on their rights and future. - [Civil litigation](https://mmlaw.ge/en/civil-litigation-lawyer/) — Contract, property and damages disputes — negotiated or argued in court. - [Administrative law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/administrative-law-lawyer/) — Challenging decisions of public bodies, fines, permits and licences. - [Labor disputes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/employment-lawyer/) — Unlawful dismissal, unpaid wages and employment contracts — for employees and employers. - [Corporate law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corporate-lawyer/) — Company formation, contracts, compliance and shareholder matters. - [Real estate](https://mmlaw.ge/en/real-estate-lawyer/) — Due diligence, purchase agreements, registration and property disputes. - [Family law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/family-lawyer/) — Divorce, custody, alimony and division of property — handled with discretion. - [Inheritance](https://mmlaw.ge/en/inheritance-lawyer/) — Accepting an inheritance, the certificate of inheritance, wills and disputes between heirs. - [Intellectual property](https://mmlaw.ge/en/intellectual-property-lawyer/) — Trademarks, copyright and protection of your creative and business assets. --- Source: https://mmlaw.ge/en/cocaine-mdma-amphetamine-georgia/ · MMLAW · +995 551 00 43 00 · info@mmlaw.ge