Legal Cannabis Cultivators Call For Adult-Use Legalization In Morocco
Legal cannabis cultivators and advocates in Morocco are urging the nation’s lawmakers to adopt recreational cannabis legalization. Morocco first adopted its current medical cannabis policy in 2021, with ten entities receiving permits to legally cultivate cannabis in late 2022. The number of legal cultivators has increased exponentially since 2022.
“Growers and activists say legalizing recreational and traditional cannabis use could ease market pressures while bringing economic benefits.” reported Newsweed in its original coverage. “Such measures could not only boost domestic sales, but also attract tourists, especially as Morocco prepares to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.”
According to the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-related Activities (ANRAC), Morocco issued 2,837 authorizations to 2,659 farmers in 2024, up from 430 authorizations in 2023.
Additionally, regulators in Morocco issued 60 authorizations for processing, 49 for marketing, 39 for exports, and 24 for seed imports. The increase in authorizations in 2024 demonstrated the growth of Morocco’s emerging legal cannabis industry.
ANRAC Director General Mohamed El Guerrouj recently announced at an annual board meeting that the nation’s emerging legal cannabis industry produced thousands of tons of cannabis last year.
“In 2024, approximately 4,000 tons of cannabis were produced over an area of 2,169 hectares,” ANRAC Director General Mohamed El Guerrouj stated about Morocco’s legal cannabis industry according to local reporting by APA News. “No infractions related to non-compliance were recorded.”
The climate in parts of Morocco is well-suited for large-scale cannabis production, which is why the North African nation has long served as a leading source of unregulated cannabis, particularly as a source for the European market.
Currently, cannabis is legal for adult use in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Additionally, nearly five dozen countries have adopted medical cannabis legalization policies to some degree.
