Moroccan Cannabis Advocate Opposes Recreational Legalization, Citing UN Convention

"It is not possible to imagine that a political party could demand such a thing, especially since our position on this is clear," said Chakib El-Khayari, the guest of the Hespress web show "Niqach Fi Assiyasa". He said he was surprised by the statements of some parliamentarians on the possibility of calling for the legalization of "hashish" for entertainment purposes. He recalled that "the 1961 United Nations Convention states that legalization should only include medical and industrial uses." According to him, the countries that have legalized the recreational use of cannabis have strong relationships and the power to defy the international community on this point.

The coordinator of the Coalition for the Medical and Industrial Use of Cannabis said that "a lot of misinformation is widely circulated, including the fact that some international conventions allow Morocco, like Bolivia which has been allowed to chew cocaine, because it is part of cultural use, to use cannabis for recreational purposes." "The international bodies have ruled on this, confirming that recreational use is contrary to the international convention (1961)," he insisted.

Since the adoption of the bill authorizing a "medical, cosmetic and industrial" use of cannabis, it must be noted that the coordinations calling for the legalization of cannabis are constantly increasing. "The strangest thing is that some were against the legalization of cannabis and expressed it in official statements, and they even attacked the parties (Istiqlal, PAM) that called for legalization, implying that it was an early election campaign," said Chakib El-Khayari.

Regarding the demands for amnesty for cannabis farmers, the civil actor said that "the farmers are victims, because the cultivation of kif has always been legal in Morocco, and the ban has been done in stages." "Amnesty for the farmers must be respected, but the question is how this will be done," he said, explaining that some parliamentarians have asked for the inclusion of pardon for the farmers in the file of the detainees of the Rif and Jerada, "which can disrupt and hinder this file."