Morocco succeeded in maintaining drug cultivated area to 1994 level

Morocco has succeeded in containing cannabis culture and maintaining it at the 1994 level, despite an increase in demand, said in Rabat Thursday Hassan Amrani, general manager of the state agency for economic and social promotion of northern regions.

He said cannabis growing area has been stabilized around 65,000 HA since 1994 and the activity is disappearing in Morocco which wishes to eradicate it completely in the coming seven years.

Amrani who was meeting visiting executive director of the UN International Drug Control Program, Pino Arlacchi, said unlike many countries, cannabis growing in Morocco is a marginal activity and is rather a "poverty phenomenon."

Although the activity provides a living to about 12,000 families, a lasting solution, consisting of developing the local economy, will overcome the problem. He recalled that Morocco has initiated major infrastructure, productive activity promotion and social development projects since 1997 under a program for the development of northern Morocco for which an annual $ 900 million is earmarked.

Amrani also regretted that Europe has not adopted a coherent policy in fighting drugs production and trafficking, as in some European countries drug consumption is legal.

He explained that in fighting drugs activities, Morocco is not merely destroying drug cultures but is endeavoring to eradicate the activity by offering alternative activities. The UN official said the UN program is ready to cooperate with Morocco, adding he will shortly expound Moroccan proposals to donor countries.