The government has just adopted draft decree no. 2.22.159 implementing certain provisions of law no. 13.21 relating to the legal use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes.
Presented by the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, the project sets the contours of this future legal market and indicates the regions which will be authorized to cultivate, produce and exploit cannabis. In this case, the text cites Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen, and Taounate, specifying that other provinces could also be authorized depending on the interest shown by national and international investors in the cannabis production chain.
A National Regulatory Agency will be created and will have the task of supporting players wishing to invest in the sector by facilitating the administrative formalities for obtaining licenses. It will also monitor the activities of license holders to ensure that cannabis is used for truly legal purposes. To do this, the latter will have to send him monthly reports on the state of the seeds, plants, and finished cannabis products.
The text also provides for the setting up of an advisory committee which will be chaired by the Director-General of the Agency or his representative and composed of representatives of the Ministries of the Interior, Agriculture, Health, Trade, and Of the industry. It will be responsible for examining authorization requests and giving its opinion on them.
In addition, the ministries concerned are also authorized to decide on the cultivation, production, processing, manufacture, transport, and export of cannabis, as well as on the content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC – the main molecule responsible for the psychotropic effects ) imported varieties of cannabis.
