Morocco Considers Amnesty for Cannabis Farmers as Parliament Debates Reform

Hope is now allowed for the study of this proposal, a question that has long suffered a "nyet" from the Executive. Indeed, within the hemicycle in 2015, the former Head of Government, Abdelilah Benkirane, had opposed any possibility of legalizing kif or amnestying growers. He will be supported the same year by the former Minister of the Interior, Mohamed Hassad, for whom "the cultivation of kif and its marketing are illegal. They will remain so."

Nearly 5 years later, the light at the end of the tunnel is near given the availability of the Executive to discuss the taboo subject. Present at this January 8 meeting, the Keeper of the Seals showed a sign of openness on the issue. "The minister explained to us that he was ready to give the government’s response; but, given the circumstances, the postponement was acceptable," said PAM deputy Larbi Mharchi, a counselor.

"Our two bills are related, so after consultation with the members of the justice commission, we decided to postpone the examination of this text until the second text (relating to the legalization of cannabis cultivation, editor’s note) is discussed at the level of the commission of productive sectors," added the PAM deputy.

However, patience will be needed to know the government’s position on the legalization of cannabis and the amnesty of its growers, the same media estimates. "Attending a commission meeting to express the government’s position on a bill is one thing. Launching a discussion on amnesty for cannabis growers is another," a government source had told Hespress.