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Morocco Cannabis Legalization Divides Growers

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Last week, the government of Morocco approved a measure that would legalize the cultivation, export and use of medical and industrial cannabis. Morocco’s Parliament is likely to ratify this measure and make it law. However, according to some growers in the country, this is not the win it seems like on the surface. 

While the idea behind the legislation is to improve conditions for farmers who already grow cannabis and give them access to the legal market, some growers worry it will cause issues for farmers who already have to deal with poverty, the illegal cannabis industry, and now the law as well. Farmers worry it will not address their diminishing income, or help keep them out of prison.

“We are fed up with fear and secrecy. We want a decent life,” said Mohamed El Mourabit, a grower from the impoverished Rif mountain area of Morocco

Cannabis has been a part of life in Morocco for decades. It is publicly grown and smoked, mixed with tobacco and put in traditional pipes. However, until now, it has not been legally recognized. Nearly a million people live in Northern Morocco, where cannabis is grown, and in these areas, you can hear the sound of workers sifting powder to process hashish all day long. 

Often, cannabis is the only crop that is growable in these areas. 

“We tried growing cereals but the weather and yield were not enough to live on. Cannabis is all that grows here,” said an anonymous farmer. 

And those who have a deeper understanding of the law are still concerned about this move. 

“Cannabis is a curse that has marginalized us for 80 years,” said Saleh Lakhbech, a college student whose father is a farmer. He feels that the bill was conceptualized “in air conditioned rooms without consulting farmers” and wishes that more input had been asked for. 

Regardless of the issues that need to be faced, Morocco is likely moving forward with legalization. It remains to be seen if they will listen to the voices of the farmers who still have concerns.