50th Anniversary of the ’Call of the 18th Joint«: What’s in Store?

Fifty years after the first «Call from the 18th attached», French organizations are trying to keep this momentum going.

This anniversary brings the legacy of the’call launched in 1976 by journalists from Release, supported by intellectuals, artists, and public figures such as Bernard Kouchner, Gilles Deleuze, Edgar Morin, and Isabelle Huppert. At the time, the manifesto denounced the criminalization of consumers and called for the decriminalization of the use, possession, and cultivation of cannabis for personal use. Half a century later, the organizers say that this fundamental message remains relevant today.

A petition to advance the debate in Parliament

A A petition has been launched on the National Assembly's website by Farid Ghehiouèche. Drawing on the opening of the original Appeal, she draws a connection to the current situation.

The first goal is to achieve 100,000 signatures by July 14, followed by a second goal of 500,000 signatures by mid-September, which would aim to force a parliamentary debate when the National Assembly resumes its session.

The initiative is presented as a tool aimed at bringing back the cannabis policy reform On the legislative front, at a time when France continues to rely on a repressive framework that has been criticized by activists and public health experts.

Parliamentary Symposium and Institutional Tensions

A symposium is also scheduled at the’National Assembly, Thursday, June 18, organized by LFI Member of Parliament Andy Kerbrat. Three panel discussions will be held on the causes of addiction, health policies, and decriminalization, featuring guests from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and high-level experts.

Unfortunately, it's no longer possible to sign up (or maybe we just couldn't find the link ^^).

Culture and Resistance at Parc de la Villette

Update at 4:20 p.m.: Jean-Pierre Galland has since announced the cancellation of the event. There may be further developments to follow on the CIRC’s Facebook page.

Beyond the political mobilization, this anniversary will also have a strong cultural dimension, with an artistic gathering organized by the CIRC (Cannabis Information and Research Collective) at Parc de la Villette.

The initiative, titled «50 Voices for the 50th Anniversary of the "Appel du 18 Joint"», invites musicians, poets, DJs, performing artists, street performers, choirs, and collectives to participate in a collective performance dedicated to freedom of expression and anti-prohibition activism.

The manifesto emphasizes cultural resistance as a central force in social movements, presenting music and performance as tools to combat stigmatization and criminalization. Reggae, rap, punk, electronic music, slam poetry, and improvised performances are all encouraged in a program designed to be a participatory and non-hierarchical event.

Stalingrad Rally: A Public Demonstration for Legalization

The June 18, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., Cannabis sans Frontières is also calling for a rally on the Stalingrad Battle Square in Paris under the slogan:

«50 years is enough! The war on drugs is lost; let's free ourselves from prohibition and legalize cannabis. »

This event is billed as a public demonstration against what the organizers describe as the enduring failure of prohibitionist policies, highlighting the persistence of illegal markets and enforcement-focused strategies that have failed to significantly reduce either supply or consumption.

A symbolic anniversary with political implications

The 50th anniversary of the’«Call from the 18th attached» comes at a time when France's drug policy remains one of the most repressive in Western Europe, despite a growing international and European trend toward regulation.

It is far from certain that these initiatives will lead to legislative action. But the organizers see this anniversary as a new attempt to reposition Cannabis Reform in France at the center of public debate, fifty years after the first call was issued.