Morocco’s government ratified Thursday a draft law to legalize the medical use of cannabis. Parliament, however, still needs to give its final approval to the legislation.
The draft law calls for the creation of a national agency to regulate the industry, and for the establishment of cooperatives that would grow “certified” cannabis plants.
The move would “reconvert illicit” cannabis plantations into “legal and durable activities that generate jobs”, according to the text of the draft legislation.
The vote over the issue had been delayed on two separate occasions due to the controversy surrounding it.
The dispute had prompted the resignation of Idris al-Azmi, head of the Justice and Development Party’s (PJD) National Council.
Abdelilah Benkirane, the party’s former secretary-general, threatened to resign if its deputies voted in favor of the bill.
The Interior Ministry proposed the bill on Feb. 25 after the World Health Organization approved the use of cannabis for medical purposes and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs removed it from a list of dangerous drugs.
The PJD had called for a study on the impact the legalization of the use of cannabis would have on the country.
The party’s general-secretariat suggested opening a “public discussion” and expanding “institutional consultations” before making a final decision.
But following the government’s decision, Benkirane announced Thursday freezing his membership in the PJD and cutting ties with several party members, including Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani.
In a handwritten letter published on his official Facebook page, Benkirane said he would also cut relations with Minister of Human Rights Mustapha Ramid, Minister of Labor and Professional Integration Mohamed Amekraz, Minister for Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development Aziz Rabbah, as well as PJD member Lahcen Daoudi.
