Morocco’s Cannabis Regulation Agency Is “Open for Business”

Rabat – Following its first meeting yesterday, Morocco’s cannabis watchdog agency is now officially operational.

The agency is set to oversee the cultivation and use of cannabis for medical and commercial purposes.

The milestone comes months after the country adopted provisional legislation in 2021 to regulate the cultivation and industrial use of cannabis.

Chaired by Morocco’s Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit, the agency deliberated on a number of measures relating to the agency’s internal organization including management of its 2022 budget.

On the list of the agency’s responsibilities is overseeing activities along the cannabis production chain, starting from acquiring seeds to the marketing and export of cannabis-based products.

In addition, the agency will issue licenses for national and international operators within the industry working on the national level.

Regulating the cultivation and industrial use of cannabis is a first step for Morocco towards joining a fast-growing global market valued at $37 billion in 2021, and set to reach $102 billion by 2026.

In terms of production, Morocco could potentially account for almost a third of the international cannabis input, promising significant tax revenues for the state treasury. Morocco’s illicit cannabis industry is already one of the largest in the world, supplying much of European demand for the popular substance.

Proponents of regulating the industry further argue that the measure will go a long way in improving the livelihood of thousands of people who are economically dependent on the illicit industry, putting them at a socio-economic disadvantage.

Voices opposing regulating the substance stem from conservative politics and the residues of the failed war on drugs.

While the full implications of the new legislation remain to be seen, it is noteworthy that Morocco did not by any means legalize the use of cannabis despite its widespread use in the country. Prior to the 2021 legislation, under Moroccan law, the use of cannabis for medical and industrial use was not illegal.

The new legislation was introduced to set up a legal framework for farmers, respond to a booming international market, and aim to generate tax revenue and foreign investment based on one of Morocco’s best-known exports.