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    How Lebanon Reacted to Legalizing Cannabis

    By Souad LazkaniApril 23, 2020Updated:July 29, 2025
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    On the first day of the Lebanese parliament’s legislative meeting, the government caused controversy when it legalized the cultivation of cannabis in Lebanon for medical export and industrial uses.

    Growing cannabis can take Lebanon out of its miserable bankruptcy and turn things around. It can bring Lebanon $1 billion/year.

    Since the law was not very clear, many people shared their approval/disapproval thinking that using medical marijuana was now legal inside Lebanon, which is not.

    Here’s how people reacted to Lebanon becoming the first Middle Eastern country to legalize cannabis cultivation.

    First, by asking the right questions:

    Will the Lebanese public have access to cannabis for medical conditions? In what form? Prescribed by whom? Does that include imported CBD and THC based pharmaceuticals? The law provides no information on this. #Lebanon ?? #cannabis_legalization

    — Joseph El-Khoury (@JEK_Psych) April 22, 2020

    Jokes

    https://twitter.com/Mak_Fadel/status/1252853905320325121?s=20

    Lebanon is the “California of the Middle East.”

    https://twitter.com/Jnoubifoo/status/1252753026399506438?s=20

    “Is that our economy I hear flourishing?”

    Is that our economy I hear flourishing? Bravo #Lebanon, first Arabic country to legalise medical marijuana https://t.co/MyBP8SCMZg

    — Boujie (@boujie_nm) April 22, 2020

    It’s the “silver lining” of the coronavirus.

    #Lebanon becomes first #Arab country to legalize medicinal use of #cannabis — one silver lining of #corona crisis is squeezing this sort of thing into legislation… https://t.co/zxGjsEQjS8 via @AlMonitor

    — Sarah Leah Whitson (@sarahleah1) April 22, 2020

    “It was about time.”

    It was about time. #Cannabis legalized in #Lebanon for medical and industrial purposes. Could become of the antidotes to our trade deficit, if managed properly. #MedicalMarijuana #Beirut pic.twitter.com/3myg5n0EOJ

    — Elie Bassil (@ebassil) April 21, 2020

    Chiming in with the facts

    Be aware! #lebanon has legalized the #cannabis cultivation for medical use only and not for recreational use. #education and awareness needed #medicalmarijuana #CBD #health #شرعوها

    — Zeina Moukarzel, MD,MPH,MHA? (@lamsalebanon1) April 22, 2020

    Skeptic – learning from history:

    https://twitter.com/wisethinkk/status/1252909038645456897?s=20
    https://twitter.com/JLincorruptible/status/1252683707716120579?s=20
    https://twitter.com/S3XYgear/status/1252683098317152256?s=20

    The reactions came not just from Lebanese but people around the world were posting about it.

    “Lebanon beat us to this.” (USA)

    https://twitter.com/ThomasBuonomo/status/1253008797825630214?s=20

    Lebanon legalizes weed before Texas does lol

    — Ray Romondo (@BadboyLLC) April 22, 2020

    “Middle East’s 4/20 gift to the world.” (Teheran)

    Middle East’s 4/20 gift to the world: Lebanon’s parliament has voted to legalise cannabis for medical usage, the first in the Arab world to do so.

    Lebanon is already one of world’s top 5 producers, centered in the Bekaa. All eyes on Morocco now.https://t.co/RKmam0IDbT

    — Alex Shams (@alexshams_) April 22, 2020

    We even made the news in China

    Lebanon legalizes medical cannabis to draw in much needed foreign currency. #Lebanon #MedicalMarijuana pic.twitter.com/gVydLT081g

    — China Daily (@ChinaDaily) April 22, 2020
    Lebanon News
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