In 2021, Morocco is considering to legalize weed for medical use. There’s a growing market for cannabis production for medical use that Morocco can benefit from. For Moroccans, this is such a natural step because a huge proportion of the population owes their livelihood to cannabis production and distribution even if its status is illegal. Furthermore, many Moroccans consume cannabis in the form of hashish, Kief, oil, edibles, and so on…

    The illegal status of Cannabis didn’t stop Moroccans either from producing or consuming it. Consequently, the Moroccan government realized that the only way to fully benefit from cannabis is by legalization. That way, it can help Morocco develop its economy, especially since many researchers of cannabis have proven that it has various potential medical uses. There’s a huge market demand for cannabis and its products that the Moroccan economy can benefit from.

    In this article, we will explore everything you need to learn, in a nutshell, about cannabis in Morocco, Moroccan hashish and kief, their production and market, and why Morocco had to legalize weed. We will finish with the potential benefits of legalizing cannabis.

Stay with us to learn everything about Moroccan weed and hash!

A Brief History of Cannabis in Morocco!

The long history of Morocco and cannabis can be traced as far as the 7^th-15^th century. Moroccans used to smoke shopped cannabis and tobacco, a mixture that they call kief, which means supreme happiness. Moroccans also used to prepare sweets with cannabis that they called maajoun and also add it to tea. Up until the 19^th century, the Sultan and the state used to collect taxes from the profits of cannabis and tobacco.

In the 19^th century, Morocco used to cover 90% of the medicinal cannabis needs of France. During these times, Sultan Mulay Hassan restricted cannabis growth for the first time, only letting a few villages in the Rif region in the north of Morocco grow it.

Those Rif villages, namely Ketama, are the heartland of Moroccan Cannabis. According to those people who live there, they are allowed to grow weed because King Mohamed V explicitly gave them permission.

There’s much controversy about Cannabis history in Morocco. Generally, growing cannabis can be seen as a grey-area-type-of-thing, where it’s allowed, but not quite so.

The cannabis boom started after the 60s. Europe became the number one client in the market. Morocco exported cannabis to Europe ever since the 60s-70s. The increased demand drove the production to try out different seeds from outside Morocco that are more potent.

In 2020, after the U.N updated its status on declassifying cannabis as a harmful substance, Morocco followed suit and even voted to support the new update. The WHO confirmed that cannabis is indeed a plant that can be used for medical purposes, which spawned a market demand that Morocco can benefit from to a certain extent.  

Cannabis (hashish) production in Morocco!

Morocco is the number one exporter of hashish in the world. 80% of Europe’s hashish comes from Morocco. Therefore, we can say that Morocco is the land of hashish. But how is it made?

To make hashish, which is technically cannabis resin, you need to let the cannabis bushes that you collect from the field. When the bushes dry out, the hrayfiya basically make a drum. They put the cannabis between two specialized cloths that they tie to a big bowl. Then, they beat it down for a long while. After a while, they check out the bowl if it’s good enough. The powder that drops in the bowl is collected, and you get hashish. It’s a sticky powder, so it’s easy to play with it and make it into the shape you want.

When that finishes, they make 100grams packets that they cover with plastic. Hashish after that is ready to be sold and consumed. That where the big drug lords and criminals interfere to facilitate the distribution process.   

Where can you Buy Moroccan Hashish?

If you ever visited Amsterdam, you know that there are Cannabis shops everywhere. You can get Moroccan hashish in Amsterdam and many other spots on earth where cannabis is legal.

You can also get it from the black market on the web if you’re interested enough to buy it. 

If you’re in Morocco, buying hashish, especially in the north as easy as you can buy anything else. You might have to ask around people. The locals will always help you to buy hashish as long as you share a little bit with them.

Who Benefits from Moroccan cannabis Production?

The biggest benefactors from Moroccan hashish are the big drug lords who take over the monopoly and pay bribes to the corrupt local authorities. Those people get all the money and benefit from all the privileges, while the others suffer. Corrupt government officials have also included in the list the benefactors.

In 2004, it was stated that the illegal market of Moroccan cannabis is worth 15 billion dollars. None of the taxes are paid for that amount of money, and only the big drug dealers who deal with Europe take all of the money. 

Who Doesn’t Benefit from Moroccan Hashish Production?

The biggest benefactors from Moroccan hashish are the big drug lords who take over the monopoly and pay bribes to the corrupt local authorities. Those people get all the money and benefit from all the privileges, while the others suffer. Corrupt government officials have also included in the list the benefactors.

In 2004, it was stated that the illegal market of Moroccan cannabis is worth 15 billion dollars. None of the taxes are paid for that amount of money, and only the big drug dealers who deal with Europe take all of the money. 

Should Weed Stay Illegalized in Morocco?

Some people argue that it’s haram (forbidden) to use hashish because after all it’s a drug. Especially cannabis that has more concentrated THC. CBD on the other hand doesn’t have an intoxicating effect on the brain, so it’s not technically a drug.

Others say it’s the gateway drug that leads teenagers to experiment with others and become addicted. Many conservatives believe that legalizing weed is not a wise step.

A final group says it’s ruining the agricultural land in the Rif region, so it should be stopped.

Should Weed Be Legalized in Morocco?

Generally speaking, when cannabis gets regulated, many of the crimes and misconceptions towards it will vanish. It can also be used for medical purposes like treating epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and many other neurodegenerative diseases. It also acts as a great sleep-aid agent. Some even argue that it can treat depression.  

Should Weed Stay Illegalized in Morocco?

Some people argue that it’s haram (forbidden) to use hashish because after all it’s a drug. Especially cannabis that has more concentrated THC. CBD on the other hand doesn’t have an intoxicating effect on the brain, so it’s not technically a drug.

Others say it’s the gateway drug that leads teenagers to experiment with others and become addicted. Many conservatives believe that legalizing weed is not a wise step.

A final group says it’s ruining the agricultural land in the Rif region, so it should be stopped.

How Did Many Countries, Before Morocco, Benefit from Legalizing Cannabis?

Countries that legalized cannabis after years of research have concluded that its pros are far greater than its cons. For example, in the field of medicine, cannabis has proven to be a better alternative to many drugs. Cancer research even suggests that it has the potential to slow down the growth of tumors.

It also works very well for the economy because the cost of growing cannabis is relatively low. However, its profits can easily sky-rocket and can help balance the budgets. For example, Morocco can use many cannabis cooperatives to decrease unemployment. Many people can benefit from cannabis production. According to statistics, more than 1 million Moroccans earn their living through cannabis. That number can be increased. Legalizing weed in Morocco can be one of the best strategies to fight poverty, especially in the north.      

The market demand is not very significant, although it grows 30% each year, but that doesn’t mean that Morocco will be one of the main exporters of weed in the world. More than 90% of the market demand for cannabis for medical use comes from the U.S and Canada, who are both currently self-sufficient. The biggest potential clients for Morocco are Germany and Netherlands.