Morocco and Afghanistan alternately hold the first position globally in the production of cannabis according to reports from the United Nations Office, while Morocco ranks first globally in the production and export of hashish, which is extracted from the cannabis plant according to the same reports. This type of agriculture in northern Morocco is concentrated over an area of more than 134,000 hectares, distributed across six provinces: Chefchaouen, Al-Hoceima, Taza, Ouezzane, Tetouan, and Larache. Cannabis has spread in these regions since the 1970s, originating from traditional production areas: Beni Khaled (Chefchaouen Province), Beni Sedat, and Ketama (Al-Hoceima Province).

The phenomenon of producing, consuming, and trading cannabis has historically oscillated between rejection and acceptance. As for rejection, it manifests in its legal prohibition, its religious condemnation (according to common perception), and the avoidance of its consumption for health reasons. As for acceptance, it manifested in the use of hemp as a treatment for a range of diseases, especially respiratory ones. It was also used in the production of textiles and ropes, and it was employed for religious purposes by some Sufi groups. Thus, what are the most important historical milestones that cannabis cultivation in Morocco, especially in the north, has experienced?