Morocco Urged to Expedite Cannabis Legalization Law to Combat Illegal Trade

"Morocco must continue to implement its cannabis regularization law, otherwise traffickers will take over to continue their illegal trade," say Raouf Farrah, principal analyst and Tasnim Abderrahim, analyst at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime in a column published by Enactafrica.org. According to them, this law governs all aspects of cannabis regularization, from growing conditions to seed imports and product exports, but delays in its implementation are creating frustration and distrust between farmers and the government - and opportunities for traffickers to continue their trade. "This has implications both for the country and for the region in general," they note.

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Recalling that Morocco is part of a small but growing group of African countries (Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe) seeking to position themselves in a booming legal international cannabis market, Raouf Farrah and Tasnim Abderrahim note that the wait creates uncertainties and several questions remain unanswered, such as the extent to which Morocco’s future legal cannabis market - whether for export or domestic consumption - can absorb the current level of production. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, herb and resin production exceeded 24,400 tons in 2018.

Moroccan drug expert Dr. Khalid Tinasti estimates that the export potential of cannabis is likely to be limited, given that the international medical cannabis market appears to be saturated. Especially since there is so far little information on the amount of cannabis that will be used for therapeutic and pharmaceutical purposes in the domestic market. However, several urgent actions must be taken. "Decisive action to establish the agency and prioritize engagement with stakeholders and local communities becomes more urgent. While it is crucial to plan the transition well, the slowness of implementation in Rabat is fueling the uncertainty and distrust of the farming communities that are so vital in this transition. More specifically, small farmers fear being left behind, fearing the competition from powerful investors," the two analysts argue.