Debates surrounding the legalization of kif in Morocco

In Morocco, the debate over the legalization of kif (which, by extension, refers to cannabis) is raging between the two political parties: Istiqlal (a nationalist party) and the PJD (a moderate, conservative Islamic party). Abdellah Bouanou, leader of the PJD parliamentary caucus—which holds a majority in the House of Representatives—states that anyone who speaks legalization or decriminalization of cannabis «was selling illusions» and wanted «getting all citizens high.» In his view, cannabis causes nothing but problems—whether social, health-related, or political. He describes the decriminalization of «kif» as a dangerous phenomenon for Morocco.

In response, Nourredine Mediane, leader of the Istiqlal parliamentary group, declared his support for full legalization in order to «put an end to drug trafficking and promote medicine and pharmacology.» He also added that the situation in his country calls for careful consideration of the issue: «It is you who are selling illusions; the legalization of cannabis »will put an end to the ordeal of 40,000 farmers who are being persecuted through the legal system.« His party had already introduced a bill aimed at abolishing the ban on this crop by regulating the entire chain, from production to the end consumer. Medical and industrial regulation will help combat drug use, because, according to Nourredine Mediane, »the real problem today is the consumption of hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, which continues to rise.”.

The Istiqlal Party advocates for the establishment of a government agency specifically dedicated to the issue of «kif,» which would oversee its industrial production, marketing, and consumption.

For now, the issue seems to boil down to a political game of posturing. In 2013, the PJD had come out in favor of legislation that would benefit «kif» producers, allowing them to break out of their legal impasse. The health minister has not expressed a clear position and has merely noted Morocco’s lag in infrastructure related to drug issues.

The issue of legalizing cannabis cultivation will certainly be one of the main topics of debate during the campaign for the legislative elections in October 2016. As a reminder, Morocco is the the world's leading exporter of cannabis and 80 % of hashish consumed in France comes from that country. Legalization might help reverse Morocco’s trade balance.

Théo Caillart