Morocco's legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes was welcomed by growers in the country. The promise of a better future, however, has yet to materialize for many small-scale farmers.
Cannabis farmers in northern Morocco are under pressure from changing climate conditions, with water shortages intensifying the already fierce competition in the sector. In Azila, a village that depends entirely on the drug trade for its livelihood, farmers are allowed to cultivate cannabis but are not authorized to trade it. Here in the Rif Mountains, thousands of families rely on cannabis cultivation, but most live under precarious conditions. The most productive land, where the plants grow best, belongs to a handful of large operators who are increasingly taking control of the business. Anyone who continues to sell the crop illegally risks imprisonment.
Many farmers support legalization because they hope it will enable them to live without a constant fear of prosecution. The government's legalization program, however, is progressing more slowly than expected, with fewer farmers than anticipated taking part.
The push for legalization was driven by the medical uses of cannabis. The cannabis plant contains more than one hundred cannabinoids. The best known is THC, which alters the taker's perception, concentration and sense of time, but can also trigger mental health problems. CBD, by contrast, has calming, relaxing, and anti-inflammatory effects without causing intoxication.
The legal pharmaceutical production of cannabis is subject to strict regulations, mandatory quality standards, and comprehensive inspections - requirements that discourage many small-scale farmers.
At the same time, there is widespread distrust of state institutions. Many people complain about arbitrary treatment and corruption. Police officers who profit from the illegal trade undermine the implementation of the reforms.
This documentary explores the promises and pitfalls of cannabis legalization for Morocco's cannabis-growing communities - where the debate itself often divides generations and even families.
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