Lebanon’s relaxing of cannabis laws ‘could lead to more corruption’ – The National

Lebanon’s relaxing of cannabis laws ‘could lead to more corruption’ – The National

Lebanon is the first Arab country to legalise cannabis for medical use. Lebanon's legalisation of cannabis for medical use has been praised by politicians who highlighted its potential to shore up the state's debt-ridden coffers, but locals and specialists warned that it could increase corruption.. MP Yassine Jaber, who headed the committee, said that the new law "will create a new system that will attract farmers who are growing cannabis illegally".. Although the legalisation of cannabis has been on the table for years, Lebanon began seriously considering it in 2018, when consultants McKinsey & Co confirmed it could benefit Lebanon economically.. Former economy minister Raed Khoury embraced the idea, boasting that cannabis could become a $1 billion (Dh3.67bn) industry.. Farmers still face prosecution for growing cannabis illegally until then.. Though locals have informal ways of marking ownership, it would be difficult for farmers to enter a state supervised system of cannabis production for this reason, argued Mr Tleiss.. The state already has little control on the Bekaa region, he highlighted. ". Cannabis production injects about $500 million a year into the local economy through traders and farmers, said Mr Makhlouf.. Instead of focusing on medicinal and industrial use, the state