Local people in Astana City noticed that there was an unusual aroma when walking down a particular street in the district this week. After altering the authorities, they found thousands of marijuana plants flourishing in the flower beds that line the road.
Yes, it’s a true story: thousands of ‘pot plants’ are now growing healthily in the centre of the capital of Kazakhstan.
Would be this a simple mistake or a deliberate act of guerilla gardening? Or, maybe, a creative way to get the youth interested in gardening? There’s no answer at the moment.
Kazakhstan’s government has launched an investigation after images of planting beds in Astana City filled with the illegal herbs have been uploaded by Russian Facebook users.
The images were initially uploaded by a visitor to the city, who said they were attracted to the plants by their unusual smell, before realising what they were.
While some have suggested the cannabis was planted by local users keen to cash in on a free supply, others have suggest the government is trying to lure drug users in before arresting them.
The council contracts a company called Zelenstroy to look after the city’s flowerbeds. A spokesperson from there said: ‘An investigation has been launched. If they are marijuana plants as is alleged on social media, we will remove them immediately.
Standing tall amid 1,200 kilometres of grassland, Astana was described by CNN a few years back as one of the weirdest cities in the world. Now we understand…
Maybe this latest piece of news makes that official! What do you think?
