Morocco Votes to Reclassify Cannabis, Eyeing Potential Billion-Dollar Industry

With a very close vote of 27 "for", 25 "against" and one abstention, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) "paved the way for the recognition of the medical and therapeutic potential of this recreational drug that is widely used, but still largely illegal," a UN statement said. During the vote, reports L’Opinion, Morocco was the only country in the MENA region to have voted "for", in contrast to Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Turkey who voted "against".

For Dr. Allal Amraoui, a surgeon and Istiqlali deputy, "Morocco would need a legal and regulatory framework on this issue, because repression alone has shown its ineffectiveness. It is unfair in our context," he stressed, adding that "it would be more profitable, in terms of public health, to be more effective in the fight against smoking, which causes more damage and is the gateway to cannabis consumption," without forgetting "the aspect related to therapeutic use and that of scientific research that must be taken into consideration. Today, we will all win if this debate is conducted calmly, away from any sterile political controversy."

According to experts from Prohibition Partners, a British consulting firm specializing in the cannabis market, if cannabis trade is legalized, Morocco could earn nearly $944 million in the first year. In addition, 90,000 to 140,000 families depend on cannabis cultivation and marketing in northern Morocco and employ around 800,000 people.