Medical Cannabis: 145 million dirhams for Morocco’s First Pharmaceutical Unit in Chefchaouen

Almost five years after cannabis was legalized for medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial purposes, Morocco is taking a major step in structuring the sector.

At the heart of the Rif, Chefchaouen is set to host Morocco’s first pharmaceutical unit entirely devoted to legal cannabis. Driven by the family company “Cannablanca” and backed by the National Investment Commission, this 145-million-dirham project represents a milestone in modernizing national production and, above all, in enhancing the traditional Beldya strain.

With an investment of 145 million dirhams, the project aims to position Morocco within the global pharmaceutical cannabis value chain. It complies with international GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards, ensuring product quality, safety, and traceability, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.

The first Moroccan pharmaceutical unit fully dedicated to the valorization of cannabis

As a reminder, Morocco legalized cannabis in 2021 for medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial purposes through a dahir promulgating Law 13-21, which regulates the cultivation, processing, and export of legal cannabis. The reform pursued several objectives: formalizing a historically informal activity, improving farmers’ incomes, creating local added value, and integrating the Kingdom into a rapidly growing global market.

Since then, authorities have granted multiple authorizations to agricultural cooperatives, processors, and industrial operators. But until now, most projects remained limited to raw material production. The Cannablanca unit fills a strategic gap in the pharmaceutical sector.

"Located on about 2 hectares in the territorial commune of Laghdir, in the province of Chefchaouen, the factory is almost integrated into the surrounding cannabis fields", we are told. "It is currently about 80% complete and is expected to begin operating gradually, in stages, until reaching full capacity by the end of 2026".

According to our information, this is the first pharmaceutical unit in Morocco fully dedicated to legal cannabis, designed as a pharmaceutical laboratory that meets international requirements.

"Cannablanca has also applied for a pharmaceutical license from the competent authorities," our sources add. "If granted, the authorization will allow the unit to produce Moroccan medicines based on cannabis, in addition to exporting raw material, particularly for pharmaceutical use."

200 to 300 direct and indirect jobs at stake

The company behind the project aims to upgrade the local Beldya variety to international pharmaceutical standards, while developing CBD production for pharmaceutical use. 

“The unit will include two production lines and will operate through contracts with agricultural cooperatives, both indoors and outdoors,” our sources note. 

“The factory’s total production capacity cannot be determined until operations effectively begin, as it will directly depend on the volumes supplied by partner cooperatives,” they emphasize.

Beyond its industrial role, Cannablanca seeks to play a central part in structuring the regional ecosystem. "The unit is expected to generate between 200 and 300 direct and indirect jobs, while serving the entire Chefchaouen region," our sources say. 

"Cannablanca’s objective is strategic: to export products that comply with international pharmaceutical standards, while laying the foundations for a Moroccan medical cannabis pharmaceutical industry."

A pilot phase launched before the factory's commissioning

"While the export of raw material is a first step, Cannablanca also aims to develop finished medical products 'made in Morocco'", according to our sources.

They add: "Ultimately, the unit will also provide industrial services to sector operators, enabling them to process their crops — extraction, processing, and more — in a facility compliant with pharmaceutical GMP standards, a prerequisite for accessing international markets."

The project has already secured key authorizations, including environmental clearance, and has been approved by the National Investment Commission, underscoring its strategic importance. Financing is mainly provided by the investors themselves, without relying on public subsidies.

An experimental phase was launched last year with two cooperatives, covering nearly 40 hectares and involving 60 to 70 farmers. This pilot phase was designed to test agricultural and industrial processes, as the factory was not yet operational.