The Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock has legalized cannabis in 19 provinces in the country as the government looks to crack down on the illegal drug production.

Turkish newspaper The Hurriyet reported that the new regulations dictate that now cultivators and growers have to obtain special permission from the government allowing them to grow cannabis for a three-year period. 

This move, called the "Hemp Cultivation and Control of Regulations," will allow the ministry to sanction and control the production. 

Growers will not only need permission, but they will also have to produce a warrant stating that they have not been involved in producing or using cannabis or any narcotic drug illegally in the past. 

Officials from the ministry will also conduct field visits and inspections each month before the start of every harvest season to monitor for signs of any illegal activity, according to T24 News.

The regulations state that growers must dispose of all the residual parts of the cannabis plant after the harvest so as not to be sold as a recreational and psychoactive drug.s

The provinces approved for growing cannabis include Amasya, Antalya, Bartın, Burdur, Çorum, İzmir, Karabük, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kütahya, Malatya, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Tokat, Uşak, Yozgat, and Zonguldak.

Turkish authorities said other provinces could also receive permission to grow if their need for production is purely for "scientific purposes."