TBILISI -- Hundreds of Georgians have rallied in downtown Tbilisi to demand the legalization of marijuana.



A majority of the protesters rallying in front of the old parliament building on June 3 were young people.



Many were wearing green shirts and holding posters and placards calling on authorities to "stop jailing people for smoking weeds."



The protesters said they were not advertising marijuana but protecting personal freedom of those who smoke it.



Labor, Health-Care, and Social Protections Minister David Sergeyenko said in a televised statement last week that his ministry was discussing the possible legalization of marijuana with Georgia's Justice Ministry.



With reporting by apsny.ge