Global Ganja Report

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has pardoned over 4,800 individuals who were convicted or wanted for illegal cannabis cultivation, the Ministry of Justice announced Aug. 19. The move comes as part of the country's ongoing transition toward a regulated cannabis economy. The royal pardon, granted to 4,831 people involved in cannabis-related cases, came on the eve of Morocco's Revolution Day, commemorating the 1953 uprising against French colonial rule.

Morocco is recognized as the world's leading producer of cannabis, according to the United Nations. In 2021, the country enacted a law permitting the cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes, focusing on rural provinces in the northeastern Rif Mountains, where cannabis has been grown for centuries. The law aims to combat illegal trafficking while positioning the kingdom as a key player in the global legal cannabis market.

The pardons are intended to help those involved in illegal cultivation to transition into the legal framework. The country has established a National Agency for the Regulation of Activities relating to Cannabis  (ANRAC) to oversee cultivation and export. ANRAC has already issued over 200 permits for processing cannabis, importing seeds, and exporting cannabis-based products.

In 2019, the Rif region's cannabis production was estimated to support between 80,000 and 120,000 families. (News Central Africa, Morocco Word News) 

Graphic: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

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