Lebanon: Hashish growers and the Government face off

The areas planted with cannabis in Baalbek-Hermel cover more than 150,000 acres, based on unofficial numbers collected by the security forces
Al Akhbar (Egypt)
Friday, July 13, 2012

lebanon cannabis fieldIt is hard to predict how this year’s planned destruction of the hashish crop in the Bekaa will play out. The farmers insist on confronting any such attempt, and the security forces are “determined” to destroy the cannabis crop. While the security forces continue with their preparations, hashish growers are adamant that they will “protect their livelihood.” Fighting the coming invasion is the farmers’ last resort after the state deserted them by “abandoning any attempt to address agricultural problems, support traditional crops, and compensate losses resulting from natural disasters or any downturn in agricultural production in light of the Syrian crisis,” according to one farmer.