3. Cannabis

Cannabis herb

10. Cannabis resin and cannabis herb global seizures, 1980 1994 11

11. Cannabis resin and cannabis herb seizures, by region, 1994 11

5. Cannabis type drugs refer to cannabis products such as hashish and marijuana.

In 1994, less than 2 tonnes of liquid cannabis, 1,457.5 tonnes of cannabis herb and 868.3 tonnes of cannabis resin were reported seized.

More speculatively, if such trends in cannabis cultivation continue, it is possible that more competitively priced cannabis grown indoors in developed countries could reduce international trafficking in cannabis and could possibly even have an impact upon cannabis cultivation in the major cannabis exporting countries.

While trafficking in cannabis herb still dominates the global situation with regard to trafficking in cannabis, trafficking in cannabis resin has been increasing and indoor cannabis cultivation continues to increase in many developed countries.

The pattern of cannabis seizures since 1980, shown in figure 10, suggests that, at the global level, cannabis resin has increased in importance relative to cannabis herb.

Cannabis resin and cannabis herb seizures made in 1994 are shown by region in figure 11.

C. Cannabis 22 28 10

The proportions of cannabis resin and cannabis seized reflect trafficking from different sources to some extent, with Europe importing a higher proportion of cannabis resin originating in northern Africa.

This is of note since cannabis resin is typically of higher THC content, per unit weight, than cannabis herb.

20. Estimates of the hectarage of global cannabis cultivation are more difficult to obtain than those of opium poppy or coca bush because of the significant amounts of wild growth of cannabis, the more dispersed nature of cannabis cultivation and the increasing amount of cannabis cultivated indoors.

There is evidence suggesting that trafficking in cannabis resin has increased in recent years compared with trafficking in cannabis herb.

Projects included the monitoring of cannabis cultivation in Morocco finding alternative activities for cannabis farmers monitoring the impact of cannabis trafficking out of North Africa into Europe HIV AIDS corruption and the trafficking of Afghan heroin.

Regarding efforts to eradicate cannabis cultivation, a number of countries were reported to be studying cannabis cultivation and its socio economic impact and assessing the feasibility of implementing alternative development programmes to tackle illicit cannabis cultivation.

Cannabis remains the most abused illicit drug worldwide.

Trends in cannabis abuse, by region, 1998 2003

Map 2 shows cannabis abuse per 100 inhabitants.

22. Indoor cannabis cultivation is on the increase.

In connection with illicit cannabis cultivation, the hope was expressed that UNODC would be able to contribute to efforts to reduce cannabis production.

Hydroponic techniques produce cannabis crops with high yield, and there have been reports of several strains of cannabis with a high THC content.

In Morocco, the first cannabis surveys conducted in the Rif region in 2003 and 2004 confirmed the country as one of the world's leading cannabis producing and exporting countries, supplying 80 per cent of cannabis resin seized in Europe.

13. Cannabis resin seizures, by region, 1980 1994 12

2. Cannabis abuse per 100 inhabitants, 1992 1995 6

Map 2. Cannabis abuse per 100 inhabitants, 1992 1995a

Cannabis is widely consumed in all subregions of Africa.

V. Cannabis herb seizures, by region, 1985 1995 9

VI. Cannabis resin seizures, by region, 1981 1995 10

There has been concern within the United States that if trends in cannabis cultivation continue, the United States could become a major exporter of cannabis.

It is possible that international trafficking in cannabis could decline if indoor hydroponic cultivation of cannabis for domestic consumption continues to increase in many developed countries.

59 160. Control of cultivation of and trafficking in cannabis

Concern was also expressed at the increased use of cannabis.

Mauritius, Morocco and South Africa also reported increasing cannabis consumption.

While the proportion of countries with cannabis seizures remained the same, the total number of countries reporting cannabis seizures increased from 108 in 1980 to 125 in 1995.

Of course, the existence of a positive correlation between cannabis use and psychosis does not allow us to draw a direct causal link between the two. Psychosis could cause cannabis use, rather than vice versa, or an unknown mediating factor could cause both cannabis use and psychosis.

In many countries, buying or smoking cannabis is forbidden by law.

Cannabis was mentioned as a matter of special concern in Africa.

12. Cannabis traffickers arrested worldwide, by country of origin, 1994 12

29. Cannabis grows wild and is cultivated in many African countries.

Seizures of cannabis resin worldwide increased significantly in 1995 compared with their average level in the 1990s, and indoor cannabis cultivation continues to increase in many parts of the world.

Except for Grenada, no other countries reported any decrease in cannabis consumption.

52. The most frequently reported drug consumed in this subregion is cannabis.

21. Figures on the range of cannabis production worldwide are not available.