Lebanon's cannabis heartland hopes for legalisation

Yammoune: Lebanese politicians are working on legalising the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes.

They say they hope to rake in millions of dollars for an economy burdened by high unemployment, low growth and heavy debt.

Lebanon is the third largest cannabis producer in the world after Morocco and Afghanistan, according to the UN. Its crops are centred on the Bekaa Valley, long notorious for narcotics production.

The valley produces some of the finest quality cannabis, mostly processed into hashish.

But the valley's residents have rarely felt the benefits. Now they are hoping their work will soon become legal after decades of crackdowns and raids.

AP