On the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the annual world drug report, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), classifies Morocco as as the world’s largest cannabis producer.
This Annual Drug Report 2022 provides an in-depth analysis of global drug markets and examines the nexus between drugs and the environment within the broader context of the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change and environmental sustainability.
The legalization of cannabis in some parts of the world appears to have accelerated daily use and related health effects, according to the UNODC report.
Thus, and with regard to the quantities of cannabis resin seized, Spain is in first place this year, according to the report, followed by Morocco which this time occupies first place among the countries of origin and departure of cannabis resin between 2016 and 2020, thus outclassing Afghanistan, which occupies 3rd place.
Regarding the countries of origin and departure of cannabis resin, the Kingdom is at the top of the ranking, followed by Afghanistan, Spain, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Lebanon, Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Nepal and India.
It should be noted that the World Drug Report 2022 aims not only to foster greater international cooperation to counter the impact of the world drug problem on health, governance and security, but also, through its particular ideas , to help Member States anticipate and respond to drug market threats and mitigate their consequences.
Regarding the security impact, the UNODC report thus evokes the Sahelian region of Africa, affected by conflicts, and whose volatility has been exploited by drug traffickers seeking to avoid strict border controls. between Morocco, Spain and Algeria.
And of course the drug that circulates the most in this Sahel route is cannabis resin, produced mainly in Morocco for consumer markets in Europe and the Middle East and trafficked along the Sahelian routes, specifies the report, noting that the Security Council’s group of experts on Mali reported several deadly clashes between groups in the region, sparked by large shipments of cannabis resin transiting from Morocco to Libya.
Regarding the impact of cannabis cultivation on the environment in Morocco, the report cites the Rif region, where the illegal cultivation, for the moment, of Cannabis in the country is concentrated. The report finds that the growing intensity of cannabis cultivation is causing severe environmental pressure on an already fragile ecological system, marked by deforestation, water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity in recent decades.
It should be remembered that in Morocco, the legalization of cannabis for therapeutic use is underway. On June 4, Decree No. 2.22.159 for the application of Law No. 13.21 relating to the legal use of cannabis was published in the Official Bulletin.
An opportunity for the Kingdom and the long denigrated farmers who could legally benefit from this plant which has both therapeutic and cosmetic benefits. There remains the issue of the necessary licenses for the legal use of this substance.
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