Moroccan marijuana growers come “out of the shadows” after partial legalization

Two years ago, Abdesselam Ichou started legally cultivating cannabis in Morocco after the country legalized the plant for medicinal and industrial purposes.

This initiative aims to reduce the dominant illegal trade, as Morocco is a major producer of cannabis resin. The 2021 law permits cannabis cultivation in the Rif region, a historical source of illicit hashish smuggled into Europe.

"I never imagined that one day I would be able to grow cannabis without the fear and anxiety of being arrested, robbed, or not being able to sell my harvest," Ichou, who grows his crops in Mansoura, Chefchaouen, told the AFP.

Chefchaouen is one of three provinces where non-recreational cannabis cultivation is allowed. The legalization hopes to improve livelihoods for up to 120,000 families in these areas.

In its first legal cannabis harvest, Morocco produced 296 tonnes, according to ANRAC, Morocco's cannabis regulating agency.

Ichou reported a record harvest and increased income. The crop, sold at 80 dirhams per kilogram, generated a revenue of $64,000, leading to further investment in cultivation.

In 2023, Ichou was the sole legal cannabis farmer in his village; now, there are around 70. According to ANRAC, the number of legal farmers in the Rif has grown from 430 to 3,000, with the cultivated area expanding nearly tenfold.

However, the legal crop area is still small compared to the 55,000 hectares of illegal cultivation reported in 2019. The transition to legal cannabis aims to establish a more stable and visible economy, despite challenges in absorbing the illegal market.

Treating "cannabis production as a normal agricultural sector," Mohamed El Guerroudj, the head of ANRAC told AFP will farmers to emerge "out of the shadows... towards the light."