Morocco’s King Mohammed VI granted pardons to nearly 5,000 people convicted of or wanted for illegal cannabis cultivation, according to a report by Reuters. The move is part of a broader strategy to transition the country’s cannabis industry from illicit to legal cultivation, which is expected to boost farmers’ incomes and stabilize the agricultural sector.
Mohammed El Guerrouj, head of the National Agency for the Regulation of Activities Relating to Cannabis (ANRAC), explained that the king’s pardon is intended to incentivize farmers to participate in the legal cannabis market. “The pardons aim to encourage farmers to engage in the legal process of cannabis cultivation to improve their revenue and living conditions,” Guerrouj stated.
Morocco’s journey toward legal cannabis cultivation began with the passage of a 2021 law that legalized cannabis for medical purposes. This legislation was seen as a response to longstanding income inequality among farmers, many of whom had previously protested against the harsh conditions imposed by illegal cannabis markets and the exploitation by drug traffickers. The law was designed to offer protection to farmers by bringing them into a regulated system that could offer better financial returns.
In 2022, Moroccan officials issued the first legal permits for cannabis cultivation, followed by 54 cannabis export permits in 2023. Despite these efforts, the transition to a fully legal cannabis industry has been slow. The country’s first legal cannabis harvest in 2023 yielded 294 metric tons, but exports since then have amounted to just 225 kilograms, as reported by Guerrouj.
Morocco is recognized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as the world’s largest producer of psychoactive cannabis. Before the introduction of medical cannabis legislation, the country’s cannabis crops were primarily processed into hashish, a product that fueled illegal exports to Europe.
This royal pardon comes at a critical time as Morocco continues to navigate the complexities of establishing a legal cannabis market. The government hopes that by integrating farmers into the legal system, it will reduce the influence of drug traffickers and provide a more stable and profitable future for the agricultural sector.
Morocco’s approach to cannabis regulation is being closely watched by other countries in the region, particularly as the global landscape of cannabis legalization continues to evolve. Earlier this year, South Africa became the first African nation to fully decriminalize cannabis, signaling a broader shift in attitudes toward the plant across the continent.
