Lebanon looks for economic lift from cannabis
Lebanon’s parliament is set to discuss a bill to legalize the production of industrial hemp as part of efforts to boost the country’s ailing economy.
BEIRUT — On July 25, Lebanese Forces parliamentarian Antoine Habchi handed the parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, a bill to amend Lebanon's drug laws to legalize industrial hemp as an alternative crop for Lebanese farmers.
According to lawmakers present, Berri said during the weekly parliament session July 25 that he had reviewed several studies about the topic and that he would continue looking into them and seek to create a special unit to supervise cannabis farming.
On July 18, Berri told US Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard that Lebanon is also examining legislation to legalize the production of cannabis for medicinal purposes, as some European countries and US states have done.
Habchi told Al-Monitor that the bill “requires discussion in parliament, and perhaps we can then improve people’s lives.” The bill has yet to be put on the parliament’s agenda, Habchi added.
