Historique
Article de Périodique
Policy reform and the international future of Moroccan Cannabis production (2025)
Auteur(s) :
CHOUVY, P. A.
Année
2025
Page(s) :
art. 104841
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Domaine :
Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs
Discipline :
MAR (Marchés / Markets)
Thésaurus géographique
MAROC
Thésaurus mots-clés
CANNABIS
;
PRODUCTION
;
POLITIQUE
;
LEGALISATION
;
AGRICULTURE
;
MARCHE DE LA DROGUE
;
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL
;
CANNABIDIOL
;
REGLEMENTATION
Autres mots-clés
Résumé :
In 2023, Morocco produced the first legal Cannabis crop of any illegal hashish-producing country, only three years after it legalised the cultivation of Cannabis for medical and industrial purposes. Nevertheless, as the country continues to amend its regulatory framework and economic policies, numerous questions and uncertainties persist regarding the success of its strategy for the export of Cannabis products and the evolution of its domestic consumer market. This current study details and explains how Morocco has advantageously legalised what it calls "licit uses of cannabis", notably by not referring to hemp, but also by making the strategic decision not to adopt an overall tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) threshold. This study also addresses key agricultural technicalities, such as how higher legal THC levels benefit cannabidiol (CBD) yields and how this directly impacts economic competitiveness, as well as how legal rules and details are structuring a new and rapidly changing global legal cannabinoid market. This study goes beyond the case of Morocco by considering what diverse and evolving international legislations mean for potential future Moroccan exports, depending on how CBD is viewed and regulated in different countries, whether as a pharmaceutical, a wellness product, or a food supplement. The study concludes that while the Moroccan authorities have quickly and pragmatically adapted their regulations, both at the production and consumption level, the future of Morocco’s legal Cannabis industry remains largely dependent on local and global environmental and economic factors that will influence its development and viability. [Author's abstract]
Highlights:
Morocco was the first major illegal hashish producer to begin partial legal production.
Morocco's partial legalisation of Cannabis has been characterised by expediency and efficacy.
The Moroccan authorities have made beneficial strategic agricultural and economic choices.
The Moroccan legal Cannabis industry still faces considerable technical, economic and environmental challenges.
Highlights:
Morocco was the first major illegal hashish producer to begin partial legal production.
Morocco's partial legalisation of Cannabis has been characterised by expediency and efficacy.
The Moroccan authorities have made beneficial strategic agricultural and economic choices.
The Moroccan legal Cannabis industry still faces considerable technical, economic and environmental challenges.
Affiliation :
CNRS, France