Latest news Morocco's king pardons over 4800 cannabis growers

One day before a national holiday, Morocco's King Mohammed VI has pardoned over 4,800 farmers in connection with cannabis cultivation. The people were convicted, prosecuted or wanted, according to the Ministry of Justice.

The monarch pardoned a total of 4831 people, explained the Ministry of Justice in Rabat on Monday. The pardon is intended to enable those affected to become involved in the country's "new strategy" for dealing with cannabis.

According to the UN, Morocco is the largest cannabis producer in the world. On the one hand, the government wants to combat the illegal drug trade. On the other hand, Morocco wants to make a name for itself on the world market as a producer of legal cannabis consumption.

Livelihood for up to 120,000 families

With this in mind, the government passed a law in 2021 on the production and medicinal use of the drug, which allows its cultivation in the rural provinces of the Rif region in the north-east of the country. Cannabis has been cultivated for centuries in the region, which is predominantly inhabited by Berbers. According to official estimates, cultivation provided a livelihood for up to 120,000 families in 2019.

The special agency Anrac has now been set up in the North African country to structure the legal cultivation and export of cannabis for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes. The agency has already issued more than 200 permits for the processing of cannabis, the import of seeds and the export of products.

SDA