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Cannabis legalization: Concerns in Beqaa over licensing and profit distribution
16-8-2018
Al Diyar newspaper reflected in an article the fears and concerns in Beqaa on the fate of the cannabis after recent calls for legalization of the crop, given the reluctant and supporting stances to the issue. Quoting sources close to large farmers, heads of agricultural coops and regional clans, Al Diyar wrote that the marijuana has been widely grown in the area come rain or shine not requiring any support or decree to legalize it. The newspaper voiced speculations about the purpose behind its regulation and concern over the fate of the crop in the Beqaa region, especially with the mounting rumors of the cancellation of 700 to 800 licenses and confining the process in the Beqaa area while restricting the tobacco to the South. The newspaper anticipated that the marijuana licenses will be released in accordance with the rules regulating the tobacco and tombac licenses (c.f : https://bit.ly/2nHtZ1S), but wondered about potential beneficiaries, be them the land proprietors or farmers. On the subject, Abbas Asadallah Shams, stressed on behalf of the local clans, that ordinary farmers should be the primary beneficiaries, referring to what’s been circulated about the limited number of licenses and the modest profit shares allocated to farmers, which, he warned, encourages area residents to keep their mafia work. For his part, the Beqaa Farmers Union head, Ibrahim Tarshishi, pointed out that the Union backs the legalization of marijuana if it is controlled by the State only, demanding the setting up of a special entity to fully run and manage the delivery of supplies. He said the Union is against the cultivation of thousands of dunums which might cause harm to the agricultural sector on a whole, and expressed fear that the legalization could be a compromise involving the preferential distribution of shares among political parties. (Al Diyar, August 13, 2018)
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