Army destroys cannabis fields in North Bekaa

The Lebanese Army destroyed cannabis fields in the villages of Zarazir, Deir al-Ahmar and Shleefa, in North Bekaa, according to information from L'Orient Today's correspondent in the area. The troops also destroyed cannabis plants that had been grown inside homes and arrested a suspect.

This operation comes as Nawaf Salam's government has approved the appointment of members to the regulatory authority created by a 2020 law legalizing the cultivation of medical cannabis in the country.

In 2020, amid economic collapse, Parliament approved a bill legalizing the cultivation of cannabis in Lebanon for medical and industrial purposes. The law allows only the state to participate in the production and trade of cannabis, which has been illicitly grown for decades in the Bekaa.

Before the law was adopted, Lebanon hired the international consulting firm McKinsey & Co in 2018 to advise on its economic difficulties. McKinsey then suggested that the government legalize the cultivation and production of the plant, widely available in the country, at least for certain uses.

Lebanon is informally known abroad for growing high-quality recreational cannabis. The cultivation of medical cannabis differs from that for recreational use due to a number of standards — varieties selected for their cannabidiol (CBD) content and low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, a psychoactive substance), traceability, and restricted use of pesticides.