Kazakhstan has toughened penalties for drug production and trafficking, up to life imprisonment.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law amending several legislative acts on countering the illegal circulation of narcotics, psychotropic substances, and precursors.

The Kazakh president’s official website says the law increases penalties for drug production and processing by officials, now punishable by 15 to 20 years of imprisonment or life imprisonment with asset confiscation.

Simultaneously, penalties for first-time minor offenses involving drug hiding (e.g., "stashers") were slightly reduced.  Such offenses without aggravating circumstances now carry 5–8 years of imprisonment with asset confiscation (down from 5–10 years).

The change reflects the fact that stashers, often youths or adolescents, are typically not involved in drug manufacturing and are used by traffickers for criminal purposes.  However, repeat offenses will result in harsher sentences of 7–12 years with confiscation.

Severe penalties remain for drug distribution by organized groups, in educational institutions, or to minors, with sentences of 15–20 years and asset confiscation.

The law also introduced penalties for the illegal cultivation of narcotic plants on a large scale and for trafficking in precursors, tools, and equipment used for drug production.