The Wisconsin Department of Administration removed cannabis plants Friday found growing near the State Capitol, WMTV reported.
Assistant Professor Shelby Ellison told the outlet that she believed someone planted cannabis there purposefully noting that the plants were “interspersed in the area.”
Ellison further reinforced this point by telling The Associated Press (AP) that “[i]t was just a large number of plants for it to be anything accidental.” The plants were found in a tulip patch, WMTV reported.
Up in smoke: Workers remove dozens of apparent marijuana plants from Wisconsin Capitol tulip garden https://t.co/becOFdhhnv
— Ilan Hulkower (@IHulkower) May 20, 2024
Ellison told WMTV that only those who had permits from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) were legally entitled to farm those kinds of plants. Tatyana Warrick, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Administration, told The AP in an email that the agency could not determine whether the removed plants were hemp or marijuana since both are types of cannabis.
“It is impossible to determine if they were hemp or marijuana without testing for THC content,” Ellison said, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Marijuana is the only form of cannabis that can get one high and is illegal in Wisconsin, The AP reported. (RELATED: City Councilman Pleads Guilty To Allegedly Running Drug-Fueled ‘Side Job’)
Politicians took advantage of the situation to crack a few jokes on Twitter.
“If you thought the vibe around the flowerbeds at the Capitol was a little more chill this year, there might be a reason for that. Have a great weekend, everyone!” Democratic state Sen. Chris Larson tweeted.
If you thought the vibe around the flowerbeds at the Capitol was a little more chill this year, there might be a reason for that. Have a great weekend, everyone!https://t.co/aSLSHIiQgl
— Senator Chris Larson (@SenChrisLarson) May 17, 2024
“One thing is for sure – [former Republican gov.] Scott Walker didn’t plant them,” tweeted the state’s Libertarian Party.
One thing is for sure – Scott Walker didn’t plant them.https://t.co/kvnbt2gQxp
— Libertarian Party WI (@LPWI) May 17, 2024
The USDA noted that their licensing system only applied to hemp growing and “not medical or recreational marijuana.”