Morocco's share in formal cannabis market to remain minimal despite reforms

Al-Monitor Pro Members

Harry Clynch 

Journalist & Features Editor at Disruption Banking 

June 2, 2023

Morocco, the world’s second largest producer of cannabis, is set to legalize production for medical, cosmetic and industrial purposes. On April 30, the country kickstarted its first ever legal cannabis growing season. In March, it began constructing its first cannabis laboratory. The government in Rabat has claimed that legalization will reduce the power of drug lords by encouraging farmers to move towards the legal industry. The government believes the legal industry could prove to be an economically lucrative opportunity for individual farmers and boost revenues for the government. However, there are questions as to whether local dynamics in the Rif region, where most of Morocco’s cannabis is currently grown, and the prospect of international competition could stunt the government’s attempts to make Morocco a powerhouse for the export of legal cannabis.