Where does Edouard Philippe stand on cannabis?

On Monday, May 15, 2017, the new President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, appointed Edouard Philippe, 46, mayor of Le Havre (a member of Les Républicains) and member of the National Assembly for Seine-Maritime, as Prime Minister of his government. What is his stance on cannabis?

Edouard Philippe on cannabis: «I don’t have a definitive position»

Alain Juppé's former spokesperson during the right-wing and centrist primary was a guest on the show Territoire d’Infos on the Public Sénat channel on January 10. The issue of cannabis legalization was one of the central topics of debate during that presidential campaign.

When asked about the issue of cannabis in France, the new Prime Minister referred to it as «a difficult question to which I don’t yet have an answer,» and he appears hesitant when he mentions «the harmful effects of the ban, which, in reality, no one was following» alongside «the opinions of doctors who speak very negatively about this potential legalization.».

In addition, Edouard Philippe is a member of the Les Républicains party, and during the Right and Center Primary, The majority of opinions were against it. Alain Juppé, with whom she is close, had spoken out against the decriminalization of cannabis, as had the winner of the primary, François Fillon. The only former candidate who, half-heartedly and toward the end of the campaign, supported decriminalization was Nathalie Koscuisko-Morizet.

Emmanuel Macron: The issue of legalization remains unresolved

Last November, Emmanuel Macron was «in favor of decriminalizing small amounts in order to relieve the burden on the courts,» with his official position revolving around a contraventionnalisation, meaning the ability to issue an immediate fine to those who violate the law. However, few details have been provided regarding the possibility of complete decriminalization (without fines) for amounts under 5g, for example. Stay tuned.

Mehdi Bautier