Residents of Astana- capital city of Kazakhstan, have said they have recently discovered massive marijuana plants flourishing on the streets.

The plants are said to have grown on the side of flowerbeds used as decoration in the city center, and thousands of the marijuana plants can be seen growing nicely, according to images posted on Social Media by activists in favor of legalization of the plant in the country.

Activists admired the way the plants have grown and said it is a sign that the plant is gaining widespread support among the general public across the country.

It was reported that local resident-Mihail Malorod, first saw the plant on his way to work and immediately recognized that it was a marijuana plant due to the plants unique smell.

Malorod later told reporters, “I was walking down the street when I saw these cute plants at the junction of Auezova Street and Dzhangeldina Street. What a nice little flowerbed I thought but when I got closer, I realized it was marijuana due to the smell”.

It is said many people who have seen the plants everyday never knew what they were, this in effect has likely helped the plants thrive in their unhindered state.

The city’s government has said it has launched an investigation to determine whether or not it was a mistake that they made or if it was an act of guerrilla gardening from local activists. It was rumored some local gardeners in charge of the beautification of the city have been placed under investigation. However, we could not independently verify this claim.

An unnamed local government spokesman for the city was quoted by the trueactivist.com as saying, “an investigation has been launched. If they are marijuana plants as is alleged on social media, we will remove them immediately. So far, we have not yet ascertained who planted them there but the investigation and tests are ongoing”.

Activists say wild marijuana growth is very common in Kazakhstan, but this is the first time the plants have been publicly planted in a big city such as the capital city. Currently, marijuana is illegal and the government is working very hard to eradicate the growing of the plant nationwide.

The possession of marijuana in Kazakhstan, by an individual, can lead to the person being imprisoned with a sentence of 7 to 14 years and or a fine. The growth of the plant, manufacturing and importation are also punishable for up to 16 years in prison and a fine. However, users of marijuana who are arrested by the police are first taken to rehabilitation centers before being put before a court of law.

Activists also say the government is fighting an unnecessary battle, as the widespread of the plant makes a prohibition policy almost impossible to enforce within the country. They have called on the government to legalize the plant in order to save the scarce resources being used in the fight against the growing of the plant, as these efforts are always unsuccessful.

But despite this assertion by activists, local reporters say that recently, in the southern part of the country, law enforcement agencies in the region of Zhabul, seized more than two tons of marijuana from two dealers of the plant. Before that, in August last year, the anti-drug police in the region of Merkeny, confiscated 1.1 tons of marijuana from a resident of Taraz, near the Tatty village.

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http://www.trueactivist.com/city-goers-in-kazakhstan-surprised-to-find-flowerbeds-thriving-with-marijuana/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=antimedia

http://www.marijuanatravels.com/countries/kaz