Moroccan government agrees to consider two cannabis bills

Morocco, one of the two the world's leading cannabis producers together with Afghanistan, will consider two cannabis-related bills on January 8.

The first proposal calls for a general amnesty for cannabis farmers. The second calls for the legalization of cannabis cultivation. Both proposals are sponsored by the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM).

The meeting will bring together Justice Minister Mohamed Ben Abdelkader and senior officials from the PAM, such as announced by Parliamentary Advisor Larbi El Mharchi.

A position also advocated by Istiqlal

The Istiqlal Party, Morocco's leading party and a rival of the PAM, has also been advocating for this since late 2013 the legalization of cannabis cultivation in Morocco in five regions: Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen, Ouezzane, Tetouan, and Taounate.

The Istiqlal Party has introduced a bill to that effect, which remains blocked by the government.

Cannabis is believed to support nearly 100,000 households in Morocco, and despite an «official» decline in cultivation areas, it now affects all the northern prefectures, according to Noureddine Modiane, chairman of the Istiqlal Group in the House of Representatives and an elected official from the Northern Region.

The Council of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, the Northern Region of Morocco, approved in early July a study on the potential for growing cannabis in the region, including for industrial use. The study does not appear to have been completed yet.