Lebanon's parliament has passed a law allowing for the cultivation of hemp, the Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, said on Monday, though implementation mechanisms had yet to be specified.
Hassan called hemp a "lifeline" for the Lebanese economy, saying that it has the potential to generate at least one billion US dollars in revenue. He added that the rules for its implementation were "being accelerated" by the cabinet.
He further said that he hoped hemp production would keep "people and youth away from cultivating cannabis," which he deemed a "scourge."
Lebanon has long been famed for its production of cannabis and hash, particularly in the rugged Bekaa valley, where sunshine and lack of state control provide perfect growing conditions.
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