Signs of Morocco's cannabis industry begin to take shape

From making cannabis bread to oils, a Chefchaouen- based cooperative has already begun cashing in on Morocco’s plans to legalize cannabis, as the first signs of how a legalized cannabis industry in Morocco will look like.

Hespress English spoke to Biocannat’s founder Aziz Makhlouf who hopes his project will attract investors to Morocco’s cannabis growing regions and contribute to the socio-economic development as well as improving farmers’ income.

1-When was created and what is the exact location of this cooperative?

The cooperative has been created in April 2021, in Bad Berred, near Chefchaouen.

2-What inspired you to make cannabis-based products?

In 2010, I went to Belgium, and then I saw a hemp field, making me wonder about its use, and then I went to get more informed about it in a legalized company of construction that produces brick made of hemp, raw clay, and hemp seeds as well as another company that was processing in doing research about producing therapeutic products made of hemp.

3- What are the different products that the Biocannat cooperative prepares to produce?

The cooperative prepares to produce 32 different products, including food, cosmetics, and textile products, encouraged by law 13.21 that stipulates the regulation of cannabis use in the country, while extracting THC.
During a conference that was held last October, the cooperative has introduced a products demonstration, including food, cosmetics, and textile products.

As for food products, the cooperative has made bread and pancakes made of hemp seed flour, following the health benefits of this plant.
Cosmetics products like anti-hair fall oil, massage oil, anti-pain, and anti-inflammatory creams, and for textile, the cooperative has fabricated 100% hemp-made hats.

4-What is the process that your cooperative follows to produce for example hemp oil?

Simple, we start by extracting hemp seeds, and then we mix them with some other natural components, and then we get to have the oil.

5-What are the benefits in general of this plant?

There are so many therapeutic benefits, mainly the use of this plant helps avoid stress, anxiety, also anti-inflammatory.
Even for chemotherapy, it helps calm pain for people who are dealing with cancer.

6-How many staff is working for your cooperative?

For now, there are only this cooperative’s members, 7 in total, as the cooperative remains in the trials process, but once we will get to receive approval from the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities, the cooperative will start producing the different hemp-made products, and automatically, we will hire more people.

In the medium term, the cooperative aims to hire 50 direct employees, and then 200 direct and indirect employees.

During a government council held by the former head of government Saad Eddine El Othmani last August, the country has adopted a draft decree no 2.21.642 of article 32, law 13.21 relating to the lawful use of cannabis in the country.

The National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities was set up at that time in accordance with article 32, law 13.21.