Cannabis
& the Rif

Cannabis introduced to Morocco

Likely arrived during the Arab conquests. Grown nationwide on a small scale in gardens and orchards for local use. Not yet concentrated in the Rif.

Kif spreads through Saadian era

Cannabis use reaches all social strata. The Saadian sultans attempt periodic prohibitions — publicly burning kif at weekly markets. Ulemas (Islamic scholars) debate whether it is haram.

The Rif becomes the center

Cultivation concentrates in the mountainous northwest. The Rif's poor soil and harsh climate mean cannabis is one of the few viable crops. The region's remoteness makes enforcement difficult.

Sultan Hassan I grants tribal privileges

Strict regulations on trade, but cultivation authorized in five douars of the Amazigh Ketama, Beni Seddat, and Beni Khaled tribes. This area remains the heartland today. 90% of France's pharmaceutical cannabis came from Morocco.

Protectorate splits the Rif

France and Spain divide Morocco. The French create a tobacco and kif monopoly (Régie Marocaine des Kifs et Tabac). Spanish-controlled Rif remains beyond the Régie's reach. Two parallel systems emerge.

Rif War — Abdelkrim bans cannabis

Abdelkrim el-Khattabi declares the Rif Republic and bans cannabis as contrary to Islam. After his defeat, Spanish and French authorities allow cultivation again.

Paul Bowles arrives in Tangier

Kif sold freely in tobacco shops. A government monopoly product. Moroccans preferred to prepare it themselves. Two products coexisted: official manufactured and smuggled.

French protectorate prohibits all cultivation

The Spanish zone still authorizes it under license with a 5 kg possession threshold. The inconsistency between zones creates permanent arbitrage.

Independence — nationwide ban

King Mohammed V prohibits cannabis. But traditional tolerance in the Rif continues. The crop supports too many families for enforcement to succeed.

Hippie trail transforms the industry

Young Western tourists arrive. Before this, cannabis was consumed locally as kif in sebsi pipes. Europeans teach Moroccans hashish sieving techniques imported from Afghanistan and Lebanon. Production industrializes.

Total drug ban (Dahir)

Royal decree makes the entire cannabis supply chain illegal — production, trade, and consumption. But cultivation continues expanding, driven by European demand for hashish.

Peak cultivation: 134,000 hectares

UNODC satellite survey records the historical maximum. 96,000 families in the Rif depend on cannabis. Approximately 800,000 people rely on it for a living. Morocco supplies 70% of Europe's hashish.

Cultivation drops to 47,500 hectares

65% reduction from the 2003 peak due to international pressure and eradication programs. But yield per hectare increases — new high-THC hybrids replace traditional varieties.

Law 13-21: Medical/industrial legalization

Parliament votes to legalize cannabis for medical, cosmetic, and industrial purposes. Recreational use remains illegal. ANRAC (National Regulatory Agency) established. Three provinces authorized: Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen, Taounate.

First legal harvest: 296 tonnes

Morocco produces the first legal cannabis crop of any major hashish-producing country. Less than 300 hectares cultivated legally. Farmers begin transitioning.

First legal export to Europe

100 kg of resin (<1% THC) exported to Switzerland at €1,400–1,800/kg. Royal pardon for 4,800+ farmers convicted of illegal cultivation. 2,700 hectares legal. Over 3,300 authorizations issued.

Expansion continues

~200 operators active. Cannabis-derived products (soap, oil, cream) appear on pharmacy shelves. Foreign investment from German, Israeli, South African, and American companies. Target: 10–15% European market share.