Morocco initiates its first legal cannabis cultivation

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice.

Morocco 🇲🇦 legalised cannabis for 3️⃣ purposes:

🏭 industrial (max 1% THC),

⚕️ medical (no THC limit), and

💊 pharmaceutical (no THC limit).

🤷‍♂️The requirement to have cannabis strains on the Moroccan list of approved varieties is not a hindrance, as it appears that applications for inclusion on the list and cultivation can proceed simultaneously.

📖“Industrial” means any purpose related to industrial activities, especially food and cosmetics.

🧑‍🏫 The 1%THC limit refers to the content of the plant variety and the final product. A logical extrapolation would suggest that a plant ultimately exceeding its expected THC level because of weather conditions, light intensity, soil quality, etc., would not automatically breach the law.

🛂🔥By contrast, EU cultivators may see their crops seized and/or destroyed due to excess THC. The outcome of non-compliant cannabis crops varies among Member States.

👩‍🌾🧑‍🌾Precautious EU cultivators thus sow EU certified seeds with expected THC far lower than the limit.

Numerous Member States only allow the minimum upper limit of 0,3% THC imposed under EU Regulation. Exceptionally, the Czech Republic permits 1% THC.

💡Morocco’s flexibility towards industrial cannabis, which combined with its trade relationship and geographical proximity to the EU, has positioned the country as a potential key player in the European cannabis market.