Conscious of its therapeutic benefits and of the profitable outcome of the legalization of cannabis, Morocco is finally approving the bill.
On the 4th of March, the government spoke openly about the eventuality of legalizing the culture of marijuana and its use. Until now, the culture of “kief”, a type of cannabis product traditionally manufactured in Morocco was illegal but this decision is now being reconsidered. The government proposed a bill to the parliament which imply the legalization of medicinal cannabis only, a practice that, so far, has already been legalized in more than 50 countries in the world.
Additionally to its therapeutic benefits, Morocco now sees the huge economic opportunities in investing in the marijuana industry. In fact, some of the historical regions, where the soil is perfectly made for the culture of cannabis, are already thriving economically. Let’s not also forget that Morocco is currently the top worldwide producer of our dear green friend.
So far, as most countries, Morocco hadn’t been able to find peace of mind and state a permanent opinion, alternating from a place of scepticism to openness about the topic. A pain one might think, especially since the legal culture of cannabis in the country could attract foreign investments, improve farmers incomes as well as protect them from international drug trafficking networks.
On March 11, the Moroccan government approved a bill authorizing “medical, cosmetic and industrial” use of cannabis. A text concocted by the Ministry of the Interior, headed by Abdelouafi Laftit, which paves the way for the legalization of cannabis for therapeutic use and regulates its production. The text still needs to be discussed and validated by the Parliament.
You might ask yourself, why would Morocco be open to legalizing marijuana now? On the 2nd of December 2020, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNCND) decided to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 – where the plant used to appear alongside deadly and addictive opioids, including heroin. The commission also officially recognized the therapeutic properties of cannabis. This statement from one of the most powerful international organizations had a significant impact worldwide.
The plant, which until now had always been fading the reputation of Morocco due to illegal trafficking, could with the years passing, become its new blessing.
