Cannabis in Tunisia

Cannabis in Tunisia is illegal.[1] Cannabis is also known as Zatla nationally or Takrouri regionally.[2]

Tunisian pilgrim, 1878

History

Cannabis is believed to have been introduced to Tunisia during the Arab invasions of the 9th through 12th centuries.[3] In 1550 Leo Africanus' Description of Africa described hashish consumption in Tunis:

They have here a compound called Lhasis [ihasis in the original Italian], whereof whosoever eateth but one ounce falleth a laughing, disporting, and dallying, as if he were half drunken; and is by the said confection marvellously provoked unto lust.[4]

Cannabis prohibition was introduced in Tunisia under French rule[5] and outlawed by decree on 23 April 1953.[2]

Enforcement

Tunisia still uses urinalysis to prove cases of use without possession. If the urinalysis result is below 20 nanogram/liter, the defendant will be accused by inhalation which is 6 months of imprisonment.[6][7][8]

References
  1. United Nations. Commission on Narcotic Drugs (1949). Summary of Annual Reports of Governments Relating to Opium and Other Narcotic Drugs. TUNISIA 18. A Decree of 23 April 1953" (published in the Journal Officiel Tunisien of 28 April 1953) prohibits the cultivation of cannabis and the use of takrouri (cannabis) and specifies the conditions under which the ...
  2. Summary of Annual Reports of Governments Relating to Opium and Other Narcotic Drugs. United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. 1955. p. 4.
  3. Gabriel G. Nahas; Kenneth M. Sutin; David J. Harvey; Stig Agurell (5 April 1999). Marihuana and Medicine. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 4–. ISBN 978-1-59259-710-9.
  4. Leo (Africanus) (1896). The History and Description of Africa: And of the Notable Things Therein Contained. Hakluyt Society. p. 722.
  5. "Some Arab governments are rethinking harsh cannabis laws". The Economist. 2017-04-12. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  6. Jacobs, Daniel; Morris, Peter (2001). The Rough Guide to Tunisia – Daniel Jacobs, Peter Morris – Google grâmatas. ISBN 9781858287485. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  7. "Tunisia accuses 'missing' Maltese of smuggling cannabis". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  8. النصوص القانونية المتعلقة بقطاع الأمن في تونس (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2015-12-19. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
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