Morocco Faces Growing Pressure to Legalize Cannabis Cultivation

These numerous calls follow the removal of cannabis from the list of hard drugs during its 63rd session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) held on Wednesday, December 2 in Vienna. The association activists are calling for the implementation of regulations that will organize this sector, reports Al Ahdath Al Maghribia. They also call for correcting the perception that some have of the farmers.

These calls have been made for several reasons. The activists recall the history of cannabis cultivation in the north of the kingdom. They explain that this cultivation is a preserved heritage for entire villages for decades, a profession passed down from father to son, which feeds many families. Moreover, only cannabis can be cultivated on their lands, especially in regions like Ketama, Boukhaled and others.

Another reason invoked: the need for the local population to get out of a delicate social situation. This population has been living in hiding in recent years in order to escape arrests and legal proceedings. Some farmers are forced to give up their most basic rights, such as having a national identity card or any administrative document.

The defenders of the cause of legalization are convinced that the organization of the sector will allow decision-makers to realize that cannabis cultivation benefits traffickers rather than farmers, who are often considered "outlaws."