Policy reform and the international future of Moroccan Cannabis production

IF 4.4 2区医学 Q1 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

International Journal of Drug Policy Pub Date : 2025-05-24 DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104841

Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

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.

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摩洛哥大麻生产的政策改革和国际未来

2023年，摩洛哥种植了第一个合法的大麻作物，这是所有非法大麻生产国中第一个合法的大麻作物，而仅仅三年前，摩洛哥才将用于医疗和工业目的的大麻种植合法化。然而，随着该国继续修订其管制框架和经济政策，其大麻产品出口战略的成功及其国内消费市场的演变仍然存在许多问题和不确定性。目前的这项研究详细解释了摩洛哥是如何使其所谓的“大麻合法用途”合法化的，特别是没有提到大麻，而且还做出了不采用整体四氢大麻酚（THC）阈值的战略决策。本研究还解决了关键的农业技术问题，例如更高的合法THC水平如何有利于大麻二酚（CBD）的产量，以及这如何直接影响经济竞争力，以及法律规则和细节如何构建一个新的和快速变化的全球合法大麻市场。这项研究超越了摩洛哥的案例，考虑了多样化和不断发展的国际立法对摩洛哥潜在的未来出口意味着什么，这取决于不同国家如何看待和监管CBD，无论是作为一种药物，一种保健产品还是一种食品补充剂。该研究的结论是，虽然摩洛哥当局在生产和消费层面迅速和务实地调整了其条例，但摩洛哥合法大麻产业的未来在很大程度上仍取决于将影响其发展和生存能力的当地和全球环境和经济因素。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Drug Policy SUBSTANCE ABUSE-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

11.40%

发文量

307

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.