Like the US, Tunisia’s Prisons Are Overflowing with Drug-Related Prisoners. Cannabis Activists Think They Have The Solution.

By: Nathan Matsko

State College —A rapper’s arrest in Tunisia has revitalized the country’s debate regarding cannabis. Musician ALA was arrested in May for possession of cannabis with the intent to distribute, subsequently leading to widespread protests in the streets of the North African country, per Al-Monitor.

Tunisia, following suit with the majority of North African and Middle Eastern countries, doles out hefty prison sentences and fines for possession or use of cannabis. Tunisia’s Law 52, one of the world’s strictest drug policies when it was enacted in 2015, has resulted in cannabis users or dealers accounting for nearly a quarter of the country’s prison population.

Despite the current stringent laws, cannabis has a long and storied history in the Middle East and North Africa. Cannabis, more commonly known as hashish in the region, has been referenced in historical and religious texts for hundreds of years.

One of the most prominent references to hashish comes from the mysterious and fabled Assassins, a group of Shi’a Muslims of the Nizari Isma’ili sect who cemented their legend during the early Crusade years (1090-1275). The legend, attributed to famed Italian explorer Marco Polo, purports that members of the order would smoke hashish before pledging allegiance to the cause and carrying out public assassinations.

The drug, however, was more commonly associated with less militaristic causes. Certain groups of Sufi Muslims utilized the drug to achieve a heightened, spiritual state. Scientists, explorers, and philosophers also took note of many cultivation efforts and regular use by the general population in Egypt during the 12th century.

Nowadays, however, the drug carries a stigma, not unlike that seen in Western countries. The origins of much of the global criminalization and stigmatization of cannabis are partially found in the UN’s Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 1961, which established the general consensus surrounding cannabis, as well as other drugs.

Regardless of the societal implications, drug use is becoming more common amongst Tunisia’s youth. A study carried out in 2017 showed that 31% of high school students had tried a drug at least once in their life, up from 25% in 2013.

While most experts agree that properly-cultivated cannabis is relatively harmless to its user's overall health, the same cannot be said for much of the illicit product. There have been several reports that much of the cannabis being sold on the streets of Tunisia is not safe for any kind of consumption, and has the potential to cause a host of medical issues.

“It’s a public health crisis,” says Wahib Mkadmi, a representative of the Coalition For The Legalization of Cannabis(COLEC). “Much of the cannabis that you find being sold on Tunisia’s streets have been found to be laced with chemicals, and sometimes even fecal matter.”

As public health is being threatened by the illicit product, Mkadmi also points to those providing cannabis as another major threat to Tunisia’s stability. “Funds from many of these black market transactions have been traced to terrorist organizations,” Mkadmi tells Via News.

There is a long history of minor drug trafficking instances between Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. After the Arab Spring shook up the political landscape of North Africa, however, authorities are having a much harder time controlling their border, a fact that is being taken advantage of by terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and groups based in the Sahara.

Proponents claim legalization of cannabis could provide solutions to these issues and potentially give a much-needed boost to Tunisia’s economy.

“The legalization of cannabis would be an emergency care package to the economy,” says Wahib, “through regulation, we could address many of the concerns and funding necessities in Tunisia.”

Wahib insists that the newfound funds from legalization would ideally be directed at three specific sectors: Education, Youth and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Health. He believes through investments in education and Youth and Social Affairs, many of the afflictions brought about by the influx of drug use amongst Tunisian youth could be addressed. Significant investments to the Ministry of Health would allow Tunisia to care for drug abusers and addicts, as the country currently only has two rehab centers to service its population of nearly 12 million people.

Decriminalization—and eventually, legalization—could also help to ease Tunisia’s bloated prison population. Thousands of Tunisia’s prisoners are serving lengthy sentences for minor cannabis-related offenses. Even in the age of COVID-19 and after promises to ease strict drug laws, the prison population continues to grow.

“The policing approach needs to change,” says Wahib, “They are targeting a symptom rather than the disease itself.”

Despite the potential benefits, the movement for legalization is not without its opponents.

“Tunisia is a generally religious, conservative society. Any kind of psychoactives are prohibited in Islam, though there have been several Imams who have insisted that cannabis does not fall into that category because you retain your judgement,” says Wahib, “Although, a lot of the opposition is universal and follows suit with the global opinion on cannabis.”

With a plurality of challenges being presented to Arab countries and economies due to COVID-19, some Middle Eastern and North African countries are seeing benefits from easing restrictions on hemp and cannabis products.

In April, amidst widespread discord due to the pandemic and preexisting economic instability, Lebanon became the first Arab nation to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Though the vote faced opposition from Hezbollah and moral reservations from other members of parliament, the economic benefits of allowing cultivation seemed too promising to pass up.

In January of 2019, President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey also called for an increase in the growth of hemp for industrial use. Hemp, a form of the cannabis plant used almost exclusively to create sturdy textiles, building materials, and papers, has long been grown in Turkey.

While the new legislation provides opportunities for many farmers, the growth of cannabis has already been a practice for numerous cultures and subregions. Morocco’s Berbers in the Rif mountain region are one of the world’s largest suppliers of cannabis, despite cultivation and consumption of the drug being illegal. Hashish and Kif, a mixture of tobacco and cannabis, has attracted cannabis enthusiasts from all over the world for decades.

Yet, continued stigmatization of cannabis and its users hinders the efforts of legalization activists. Despite increasing acceptance and medical research into practical uses for the drugs, age-old stereotypes about cannabis and those who use it persist. These stereotypes, Wahib says, will fade.

“We are arguing with facts and evidence-based research. The debate has been sparked, and we are seeing a change in the public’s opinion of cannabis.”