The Lebanese parliament has approved a law that allows the cultivation of cannabis up to 1% THC for medical purposes.
The proposed law, which isn’t yet final, would make Lebanon the first Arab nation to legalize cannabis in some form.
Lebanon’s vote stems from a 2018 consultant recommendation on improving the economy.
At the time, Lebanon’s minister of economy and trade projected that legalization could add up to about $1 billion annually to Lebanon’s economy.
Lebanon is one of the top producers of illegal marijuana – especially cannabis resin – in the world, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Illicit cannabis is known to be grown particularly in the Bekaa Valley region of Lebanon.
