Following the generous pardon that HM King Mohammed VI was kind enough to grant to 4,831 people convicted, prosecuted or wanted in cases linked to the cultivation of cannabis on the occasion of the anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the people, these wanted individuals, numbering 213 in the province of Taounate, did not hide their immense joy and their deep relief at finding their loved ones and enjoying their full rights.
At the weekly souk of Bani Walid, about twenty kilometers from Taounate, this Royal Grace with great human impact makes many people happy. Small farmers previously sought by the authorities were able to take full advantage of their first day of freedom, to make their weekly purchases without having to constantly look behind their shoulders.
“It is a blessing and an immense joy that HM King Mohammed VI has given us, may God help him,” JZ told MAP
Residing in the rural commune of Louta, a remote douar not far from Taounate, JZ, had lived for four years in fear of falling into the hands of the justice system who were looking for him for a case of illegal cannabis cultivation.
“From now on, I am free to find my two children and my wife and to do my shopping without the fear of being denounced,” he rejoiced.
Same story with his cousin, NZ, 38 years old, who has also been prosecuted for two years for a similar case.
“In addition to regaining our freedom of movement, we can now also redo our identity papers, which are essential to benefit from numerous services,” he explained.
This Royal Grace is a boon for the many cooperatives specializing in the legal cultivation of cannabis for industrial and medicinal purposes in the province of Taounate.
The day after the announcement of this magnanimous gesture, members of cooperatives flocked en masse to the provincial headquarters of the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis Activities (ANRAC) to inquire about the possibility of obtaining the necessary authorizations in favor of formerly sought-after cultivators so that they can legally integrate into the cannabis production chain.
According to Mohamed El Kacimi, vice-president of the Oudka agricultural cooperative, the pardon granted by HM the King to farmers in the province is able to promote their adherence to the cannabis production project in a regulatory manner, while facilitating their economic integration in enjoying a regular income.
“This Royal Grace will allow many growers in conflict with the law to be able to request the necessary authorizations to cultivate cannabis legally,” declared, for his part, Otmane El Ayadi, president of the Nass Douar cannabis cultivation cooperative. , estimating that this decision will have a significant impact on the social and economic situation of these people and their families thanks to a stable annual income.
An observation shared by the provincial director of ANRAC in Taounate, Mr. Ihssane Sidki, who welcomed a “humanist royal decision above all”.
“A wanted individual cannot benefit from his full rights, and often finds himself living outside of society and separated from his family,” he observed, noting that this High Royal Solicitude also has an economic impact.
The cultivators benefiting from this Royal Grace constitute an economic force hitherto on the sidelines and who can now aspire to cultivate cannabis legally in accordance with the regulations put in place by ANRAC since its creation two years ago, -he explained.
According to data from the province of Taounate, 1,341 people from the province benefited from the pardon that HM the King was kind enough to grant on the occasion of the anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the people. Of these 1,341 individuals, 1,083 were at large, 45 in detention and 213 wanted.
The Royal Decision constitutes an incentive for growers to engage in legal activities, which contributes to combating illicit cannabis cultivation and facilitating their integration into society and their social and family stability.