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Rabat – The Committee of the Interior, Local Authorities, Housing and Urban Policy at Morocco’s House of Representatives has launched a discussion of Bill 13.21 on the legal use of cannabis.
The committee is focusing on the positive impacts the bill will have for local farmers.
On Wednesday, the majority of feedback from the Parliamentary Groups at the committee were in favor of the project.
MPs on the committee stressed the importance of the bill, which will serve local farmers and improve their income.
Some MPs’ remarks, however, emphasized the need to give more time to deepen the discussion on the contents of the bill, and to take note of all of its economic, social, and environmental aspects.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD) group has called for more time to broaden public debate within Parliament, calling for the participation of institutional actors and political parties, as well as civil society.
The group argued that lands devoted to the cultivation of cannabis need “real development programs and strong infrastructure.”
The PJD also stressed the importance of vigilance against crops related to unauthorized drug production.
The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) group emphasized the importance of adopting the bill, describing the move as a “historic breakthrough.”
“The government has been late in preparing this initiative, which is of economic and social importance to keep pace with this transformation at the international level,” Moroccan state media quoted PAM as saying.
The project earned satisfaction from the majority of political parties, including the Parliamentary Group for Progress and Socialism, among others.
Morocco adopted Bill 13.21 on March 11. Through the adoption, Morocco became among the few African countries that permit the legal use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes.
The adoption made international headlines, which suggested that observers expected the move after Morocco voted to remove cannabis from the UN’s list of Schedule IV drugs, which have limited or no therapeutic use.
Morocco was the only member of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in the Middle East and North Africa to vote in favor of reclassification.
Bahrain, Egypt, and Algeria, all voted against the move.
Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit said earlier this month that the bill’s adoption presents a positive momentum for farmers.
The officials believe that the bill will improve farmers’ income and will create “promising and stable job opportunities.”
Laftit made his remarks while presenting the bill before the Interior Committee at the House of Representatives.
During the presentation, the minister also explained the bill’s parameters.
