140 products, 600 points of sale: Morocco's medical cannabis market continues to take shape

Five years after theenactment of Law No. 13-21, the Morocco continues to expand its legal cannabis sector. The country has announced that it has recorded more than 140 cannabis-based products, manufactured by Moroccan pharmaceutical companies and approved by theMoroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AMMPS).

According to Mohamed El Guerrouj, director general of the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC), these products are already available at more than 600 authorized retail outlets across the Kingdom. This announcement was made during the first scientific conference dedicated to the therapeutic use of cannabis, organized in Rabat by ANRAC and the Moroccan Society of Medical Sciences (SMSM).

A sector still largely driven by culture

The expansion of legal cannabis cultivation remains central to Morocco’s strategy. According to ANRAC, the country produced nearly 2,000 tons of dried cannabis in 2025, 10% more than the previous year.

The licensing system also continues to expand. In total, 5,765 active licenses have been registered for the 2025 season, including 5,492 cultivation permits benefiting more than 5,300 farmers. Other licenses cover the processing, transportation, marketing, export, and import of seeds.

For Moroccan authorities, these figures reflect the gradual transition from a historically informal cannabis economy to a regulated and traceable industry. The goal is not only to provide legal opportunities for farmers in traditional growing regions, but also to create an ecosystem capable of meeting pharmaceutical standards and the demands of the international market.

The sector remains heavily focused on agricultural production today. While crop production is becoming more organized, the processing and development of high-value-added therapeutic products are still in their infancy.

Research and medical adoption remain major challenges

Despite the a growing number of registered products, Moroccan officials acknowledge that the therapeutic use of medical marijuana in Morocco remains limited.

According to Mohamed El Guerrouj, healthcare professionals and researchers must play a greater role in identifying new medical applications for cannabis-based treatments. He explained that prescribing physicians, scientific researchers, and professional organizations are essential to expanding patient access and ensuring long-term economic opportunities for licensed producers.

During the conference, participants emphasized the need for a stronger scientific foundation to support the sector. Recommendations included the creation of a national list of therapeutic indications, the development of treatment protocols and clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals, and the establishment of a patient monitoring system.

The event also highlighted the importance of clinical and pharmacological research in assessing the efficacy and safety of legal cannabis products.

Training and innovation at the heart of future growth

To support the industry’s growth, two new partnerships were announced at the conference. The first will establish a research award dedicated to the therapeutic use of cannabis, while the second will launch an academic and professional certification program focused on medical cannabis.

This training initiative will be developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Casablanca (b) and Hassan II University (/b).

According to Moulay Saïd Afif, president of the SMSM, Morocco has already become a leader in this field. In his view, the country’s regulatory framework governing the cultivation, processing, and medical use of cannabis is increasingly regarded as one of the continent’s leading models.

Morocco’s challenge today remains to move beyond cultivation and build a fully integrated value chain, with pharmaceutical-grade quality standards and sustainable economic development. By doing so, the Kingdom could establish itself as one of Africa’s most advanced markets for medical cannabis.