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Morocco Reaps First Legal Cannabis Harvest
Morocco’s foray into the legal cannabis industry has yielded a promising first harvest, exceeding expectations with a total of 294 metric tons cultivated in 2023. This comes after the country approved the cultivation and export of cannabis for medicinal and industrial uses in 2022.
The harvest was carried out by 32 cooperatives, representing 430 farmers, across 277 hectares in the northern Rif mountain regions of Al Hoceima, Taounat, and Chefchaouen, according to the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC).
This marks a significant shift from the past. The United Nations drugs agency estimates that roughly 47,000 hectares of land in the Rif were dedicated to cannabis production in 2003, a figure that has shrunk to around a third due to government crackdowns.
ANRAC is currently reviewing applications from a further 1,500 farmers organized into 130 cooperatives, due to the growing interest in legal cannabis production. Cultivation of the region’s hardy, drought-resistant landrace strain, known as Beldia, began this month.
While Morocco remains a major cannabis producer, recreational use is still officially illegal. However, it has been a tolerated practice for generations in the north, where nearly a million people rely on cannabis cultivation as their primary source of income. Traditionally, cannabis is smoked mixed with tobacco in long-stemmed clay pipes.
The legalization effort aims to improve the livelihoods of farmers and protect them from exploitation by drug traffickers who dominate the illegal export market. ANRAC reports that two legal cannabis processing facilities are already operational, with two more awaiting equipment. Additionally, 15 cannabis products are undergoing the authorization process for medicinal use.
Morocco also has its sights set on the expanding global market for legal cannabis. In 2023, the country issued 54 export permits, signaling its ambition to become a major player in this burgeoning industry.
Dozens Missing After New Nigerian Abduction
Dozens of people, including women and children, were abducted in a brazen attack on Kajuru Station, Kaduna state, late Sunday night.
Eyewitnesses reported gunmen storming the town, raiding shops for food, and kidnapping residents. While official numbers remain unconfirmed, locals estimate over 80 people are missing.
This incident comes on the heels of two prior abductions in the same area: 15 people just two days ago, and over 280 students taken from Kuriga earlier this month.
President Bola Tinubu’s vow to strengthen the military and combat crime faces mounting pressure amidst this string of kidnappings. Authorities have previously refused to pay ransom for the abducted students.
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