Rabat – Morocco has ratified the legislative changes required to start the country’s promising domestic legal cannabis industry. The prospect of legalizing Moroccan cannabis products has long captivated investors in the rapidly growing global Cannabis industry, given Morocco’s historic reputation for quality cannabis production.
Given Morocco’s various free trade agreements and expertise in cultivating the plant, the decree aims to move large parts of the illicit cannabis market out of the shadows, and into the spotlight of international investors and consumers.
Many regions across Morocco have a long history of cannabis cultivation, with local products moving domestically and throughout Europe through illicit markets. Morocco now aims to turn a former costly issue for law enforcement, into a burgeoning industry that brings in much-needed investment and tax revenue.
Finalizing Cannabis legalization
The Moroccan government held its weekly cabinet meeting on Thursday 3 March, where it finalized the process to legalize cannabis for medical and export purposes.
Minister of the Interior Abdelwafi Laftit presented the draft decree during the Moroccan government’s weekly council, headed by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch. The council deliberated and ratified draft decree 2.22.159, which implements certain legal provisions of bill 13.21, relating to the legal uses of cannabis.
Read also: Government to Sign Cannabis Legislation During Upcoming Council
The decree specified the regions in which it is legal to cultivate and harvest cannabis. In addition to establishment and exploitation of its nurseries. These regions cover Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen and Taounate, with the possibility of adding other regions depending on the demand of national and international investors.
In order to encourage investment in this field, the Moroccan government assigned the project to the National Agency for the Legalization of Cannabis-related Activities (NALCA). The Agency will be responsible for keeping up the pace with licenses and facilitating the administratives procedures relating to granting them.
The decree also states that a committee must be created in order to process requests for licenses. The committee must be headed by the general director of the company, or his or her representative.
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Well-regulated industry
In order to avoid any illegal misuse of legal cannabis, the draft decree requires license holders to provide the agency with monthly reports, detailing the inputs and outputs of cannabis, as well as annual reports.
The monthly reports must include the stock, seeds, seedlings and cannabis products. Whereas the annual reports must contain a physical inventory of the plant and its products.
The draft decree authorizes government officials in charge of the Interior, Agriculture, Health, Trade, and Industry, to make decisions regarding the contents of license application files. These cover all activities related to cultivating, producing, transforming, manufacturing, transporting, and exporting, as well as importing products, seeds, and seedlings, and licenses to establish nurseries.
The same decree also determines the percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol in Moroccan cannabis products, and introduces methods for maintaining them by the agency and license holders. Furthermore, the decree establishes a special code that proves that the cannabis product has been obtained in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 13.21.
Read also: 80% of Moroccans Believe Legalizing Cannabis Will Have Positive Impact
