Lebanon Agriculture Minister Touts Economic Benefits Of Regulated Cannabis
Lebanon may not be the first country that people think of when it comes to the emerging legal cannabis and hemp industries. However, there is a concerted push underway to ramp up the nation’s legal industries, and that push is largely being led by the nation’s leaders.
“Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday sponsored a conference at the Grand Serail on legal cannabis cultivation, reaffirming the government’s push to activate Lebanon’s law allowing medical and industrial use.” reported LBC International in its local reporting.
“In his opening remarks, Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani framed the initiative as a turning point in Lebanon’s approach to agriculture and economic development.” the outlet also reported in its original coverage.
Agriculture Minister Hani reportedly described developing the nation’s medical and industrial hemp industries as being “a national responsibility” and that the emerging sectors are “promising” if they can be developed sufficiently.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister estimates that an established medical and industrial hemp industry could develop into a $1 billion market and create a significant number of jobs in the process. He pointed to the Bekaa Valley as an example that could particularly benefit from a developed industry.
A 2019 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated that Lebanon was the third largest source for ‘cannabis resin’ worldwide, only behind Morocco and Afghanistan. UNODC estimated that roughly 6% of all the cannabis resin on earth originates in Lebanon.
Two historical measures largely govern cannabis activity in Lebanon. The first came in 1998, when Lebanon passed law 673/1998, which criminalized the use of illicit drugs and scheduled cannabis as a “very dangerous substance with no medical use.”
The second occurred in 2020, when Lebanon became the first country in the region to somewhat liberalize its cannabis policies by permitting limited cannabis farming. As time has gone on, the measure approved in 2020 has proven to be largely symbolic, with the nation’s cabinet refraining from implementing decrees to establish a regulatory authority.
“In April 2020, after decades of discussions and controversy, the Lebanese parliament voted a law legalizing the cultivation, production, and sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Although the law leaves several unanswered questions and awaits implementation, the symbolic nature of this step in recognizing a positive role of cannabis in the local economy is significant on a regional level.” wrote a team of researchers affiliated with various health and academic institutions based in Lebanon.
“The social experiment taking place in Lebanon is fraught with risks, given the unstable political situation and chronic economic challenges. The reactions to the law have been mixed with several scientific bodies such as the Lebanese Psychiatric Society criticizing the absence of proper consultation of stakeholders.” the researchers also wrote.
