Cannabis is illegal in Morocco.
For decades, Morocco has been one of the world's largest producers of illicit cannabis, with the Rif region being the primary centre of production. While there is significant local consumption in the country, Moroccan cannabis is also distributed internationally, including to African and European markets.
The authorities are reluctant to dismantle the cannabis trade because it is often the primary source of income for large segments of the population.
Cultivation is deeply woven into the social and economic fabric of the northern mountainous region of the Rif. The crop has long provided a survival economy in the absence of viable alternatives.
Building on this historical association, Morocco has undertaken policy reforms to transform the informal economy into a regulated, state-supervised industry. Although these efforts are an important step towards formalisation, with a view to integrating Moroccan cannabis into global supply chains, implementation challenges highlight the complexities of regulating an entrenched informal economy.
On May 26, 2021, the government enacted Law 13-21, which legalised the cultivation of cannabis for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes, while maintaining the prohibition on recreational use.
The legalisation was confirmed by a second vote on June 16, 2021, after some adjustments to the law, proposed by the Chamber of Councillors.
In line with this legislative shift, Morocco created the National Agency for the Regulation of Activities relating to Cannabis (ANRAC) in 2022 to operationalize the law and oversee the transition.
ANRAC's mandate encompasses the licensing, monitoring and regulation of cannabis-related activities, including the cultivation, processing, commercialisation, export and import of cannabis seeds and products for legal use. In addition to overseeing compliance, the agency is tasked with promoting sustainable alternatives for communities dependent on illicit cannabis cultivation, and structuring the legal cannabis supply chain to meet national and international standards.
By the end of 2024, ANRAC had issued more than 3 300 authorisations for cannabis-related activities, including processing, seed import, transport and other logistical aspects of the supply chain. The agency also certified 7.6 million imported seeds and authorised the use of the Beldia variety, indigenous to the Rif region. In 2024, over 2 700 hectares of land were legally cultivated by farmers within the new regulated system, producing more than 4 000 tonnes of cannabis for legal purposes.
In August 2024, King Mohammed VI granted a royal pardon to over 4 800 people convicted, prosecuted or wanted in cases related to illegal cannabis cultivation. This act of clemency was widely seen as a reconciliatory gesture towards farmers in the Rif region, who had long been marginalised by prohibition-era enforcement. The pardon also reflects a strategic policy move to facilitate farmers' transition from the illicit market into the legal economy without fear of legal reprisals. Further royal pardons are expected.
The implications are significant. By removing legal pressure on legacy growers, the state is lowering the threshold for entry into the formal sector, signalling a shift towards economic inclusion. It also offers a chance to rebuild trust among communities historically marked by tensions with state authorities. However, thousands of farmers and operators remain reluctant to come forward for fear of prosecution or confusion over the pardon's scope. This suggests that reconciliation efforts must be paired with legal clarity and outreach to ensure wider community engagement.
Despite the developments, the transition remains fraught with challenges. While authorised cultivation has increased - from less than 300 hectares in 2023 to around 2 700 hectares in 2024, according to ANRAC - this is still only a fraction of Morocco's total area of cannabis under cultivation, estimated at between 50 000 and 70 000 hectares. And the more than 3 000 licences issued in 2024 remain a modest figure compared with the estimated 400 000 or more people directly or indirectly participating in the illicit cannabis trade.
This illustrates the limited absorptive capacity of the legal market so far and raises concerns about its ability to displace the well-established informal economy. The current landscape is more one of coexistence of both markets than a decisive transition from one to the other. Most farmers remain outside of the regulatory framework, either because the legal requirements (such as seed certification, cooperative membership and mandatory traceability) are perceived as too costly or complex, or because they simply prefer to continue operating in the illicit sphere.
As a result, a substantial proportion of the population continue to rely on illicit cannabis networks for income generation, perpetuating the dynamics that the state is trying to reform. The resilience of the illicit market is also underpinned by higher demand and more established cannabis distribution networks. The illicit sector continues to offer more immediate liquidity and scale, making it a viable option for many.
In contrast, the legal market, while promising, has only just begun to develop commercial outlets. In 2024, Morocco exported a limited amount of low-THC cannabis resin to Switzerland, fetching prices of between €1 400 and €1 800 per kilogram. However, achievements such as these do not yet reflect a robust commercial ecosystem. Licensed farmers have often reported difficulties engaging with cannabis processing facilities, leading to unmet expectations and economic uncertainty.
Concerns have also emerged about the potential for regulatory capture or misuse of the legal system. There is a risk that actors in the illicit market may seek to exploit the emerging regulatory framework, either by laundering illegally sourced cannabis through licensed operations or by using licences as a cover for continued trafficking.
Morocco's drug policy reform measures reinforce the state's recognition of cannabis as a legitimate agricultural product and its potential to capitalise on global markets. However, to truly support a transition from the informal to the regulated market, authorities should encourage broader participation through community-owned cooperatives and implement targeted incentives that deliver meaningful economic benefits to the thousands of families who have depended on this crop for generations.
Law No. 1-73-282 of May 21, 1974, on the suppression of drug use and drug prevention.
Possession or use is liable to imprisonment of between 2 months and 1 year and/or a fine. Article 8 of the Law on the Suppression of Drug use sets out the possibility of treatment, i.e., mandated medical detoxification with a 15-day follow-up drug screening.
The Criminal Code of Morocco.
Law No. 13-21 related to the legal uses of cannabis enacted in July 2021 aims to provide a legal framework of the medical and industrial use of the cannabis throughout 9 activities as mentioned below:
The exercise of these activities is subject to an authorisation granted by the National Agency for the Regulation of Activities relating to Cannabis (“ANRAC”). The authorisation granted by ANRAC for one of the activities relating to cannabis covered by the Law is valid for a period of 10 years renewable under the same conditions.
The Law sets out an exception for the medical and pharmaceutical industry as the authorisation of cultivation and production of varieties of cannabis in which the THC exceeds 1% could be granted.
The Law allows the cultivation, production, transport, import, export and marketing of cannabis and its products for industrial purposes (other than medical and pharmaceutical) and subject to compliance with the legal conditions for each activity relating to the cannabis and subject to obtain an authorization from ANRAC.
The Law provides that no authorisation can be granted for the cultivation and production of varieties of cannabis, nor for the processing, manufacturing, import, export and marketing of cannabis and its products in sectors other than medical and pharmaceutical industries if the THC exceeds 1%.
The industrial use of cannabis in compliance with the Law and duly authorised by ANRAC might consist of cosmetic products and food supplements.
Law No. 13-21 related to the legal uses of cannabis is silent on intellectual property rights.
Under Law No. 17-97 on the protection of industrial property, an invention that complies with public policy and the law is patentable. The patentability of plant varieties is subject to certain conditions.
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<a href="https://www.daggadiaries.com/countries/cannabis-in-morocco">Legality of Cannabis in Morocco</a>
The legality of cannabis varies widely across Africa. In some countries, cannabis is illegal, and possession or use can result in severe penalties. In other countries, cannabis is legal or decriminalised for medical or recreational use.
It is important to note that the laws and penalties related to cannabis can change frequently and vary by jurisdiction. It is always a good idea to research the current law and regulations before using or possessing cannabis in any country.