The benefits of legalizing cannabis in France

What do Uruguay, Canada and 24 American states, including California, have in common? Apart from the fact that they are all located on the same continent, these states and countries have legalized cannabis. Initiatives such as the following, which have made their mark in a more restrictive legislative framework of decriminalisation in Portugal, the Netherlands or the Czech Republic. What would legalization of cannabis in France ?

Despite a high level of repression, France has one of the highest of individuals who have used cannabis in the past year in Europe. It is estimated at 8.4%, compared with 7% in the Netherlands, where legislation is more permissive. The cost of cannabis-related arrests alone amounts to 300 million euros annually, and ultimately represents 14% of inmates, or 8,500 people. On a daily basis, an estimated 550,000 French people use cannabis.

Three scenarios

The Terra Nova think tank has studied three possible opening scenarios:

• the decriminalization For example, the sale of cannabis would still be forbidden, so the state would gain nothing, but cannabis users would no longer be prosecuted for use, or for possession of small quantities for personal use. The reduction in repression would result in considerable savings, some 310 million according to the Terra Nova think tank.
• the legalization within the framework of a public monopoly In this scenario, cannabis would be a commodity priced by the state and taxed at 80%, as tobacco currently is. In this scenario, the State could earn up to 1.6 billion euros a year, with a 500 million euro reduction in public spending on cannabis.
• the legalization in a competitive environment The same advantages as for the previous hypothesis, with the difference that the price of cannabis is set by the market, not by the state.

The benefits of legalizing cannabis in France, via Decoders

Reduced crime, controlled increase in the number of smokers, job creation

In all three cases, cannabis consumption would increase. Estimates range from an increase of 16% for decriminalization, to +72% for legalization within a competitive framework.

The preferred hypothesis, particularly from a health point of view, remains legalization under a public monopoly: the increase in the number of smokers would be limited to 42%, thanks in part to a price set by the State that would be higher than that set by the market. The authors of the report also rely on 13,000 jobs created in the area with this assumption.

These figures are in addition to others arguments in favor of legalizing cannabis.