France: little by little, contrav’ makes its mark

While we are still waiting for the release of the report from the Parliamentary Commission on the Criminalization of Cannabis, some details are beginning to emerge about what lies ahead for French cannabis users.

Robin Reda, one of the authors of the aforementioned report, announced this morning on Jean-Jacques Bourdin’s show propose making it a misdemeanor as a tool to penalize cannabis use in public spaces. In his view, police and judicial resources must be redeployed to combat cannabis trafficking, while maintaining the ban on personal use.

Regarding the fine imposed for cannabis use, Robin Reda mentions an amount «around €150.».

It should be noted that he surreptitiously distinguishes between the therapeutic use of cannabis by «a family that uses it to treat their child suffering from epileptic seizures» and its use by a high school student or the illicit trafficking of cannabis.

In a second interview (starting at 14:20 below), Nicole Belloubet, our Minister of Justice, confirmed on the same broadcast that a fine would be imposed—likely only for the first violation of the law on cannabis use, based on her ’assumptions,« which, however, seem well-thought-out. She refutes the idea of decriminalization and outlines a path toward a »fixed-amount fine« for the offense of cannabis use.

Ms. Belloubet has set the tone: the Justice Department’s response is intended to be «immediate» and «effective.» Effective for what? That is the question.