French government rushes to say no to cannabis legalization

The recent buzz in France surrounding cannabis has taken many by surprise. Since the op-ed published in *L’Obs*, the bill introduced by about fifteen members of parliament and the report by the Economic Analysis Council in favor of legalization According to Matignon’s advisors, cannabis is all over the news. Yet the government remains adamant: legalizing the «recreational use» of cannabis is definitely not on the agenda.

A majority within the majority?

While the most conservative voices are crying foul, a number of lawmakers have come out in favor of legalizing recreational cannabis. Pierre Person, the second-in-command of LREM, and Aurélien Taché, a leading figure in the majority’s left wing, have co-signed The Obs Op-Ed. At the same time, five LREM lawmakers co-signed the bill establishing a public monopoly from former LREM member François Michel Lambert. They are Delphine Bagarry, Annie Chapelier, Pierre-Alain Raphan, Hubert Julien-Laferrière, and Cécile Rilhac.

These statements have made it possible to re-re-re-re-re-re-re-launch the debate on the issue, but for now, most members of Congress seem to be misinformed. L’Opinion reports that the issue of cannabis legalization was discussed on Thursday morning during the En Marche group’s executive committee meeting at the National Assembly. Apparently, there was a significant lack of clarity on the matter: «Many people were uninformed on the subject and didn’t know the difference between medical cannabis, “wellness” cannabis, and recreational cannabis,» noted one participant.

As for «wellness» cannabis, activists have already taken up the cause and called for the creation of a fact-finding mission. Among them are Jean-Baptiste Moreau, a member of the National Assembly from Creuse; Ludovic Mendes, a member of the National Assembly from Moselle; Naïma Moutchou, a member of the National Assembly from Val-d’Oise; and Sophie Beaudouin-Hubières, a member of the National Assembly from Haute-Vienne. The signatories also include Jean Baptiste Djebbari, the LREM spokesperson in the National Assembly, and Sandrine Lefleur, an LREM deputy who is herself a hemp farmer.

«If we focus solely on legalization, that’s the best way to derail the debate. We need to benchmark what’s being done elsewhere in terms of public health, safety, and the economy, so that we’re all on the same page,» explains Jean-Baptiste Moreau, the rapporteur for the fact-finding mission. If the mission is unsuccessful, Ludovic Mendes plans to set up a working group on the issue. The group would consist of about 20 LREM lawmakers.

The government remains adamant

While the Macronist majority, though divided, seems increasingly supportive of the reform, this is not the case for the government, which remains officially opposed to any legalization of recreational cannabis. It should be noted, however, that no government has ever been more pro-cannabis, as Christophe Castaner has already expressed my views on the subject, just like François de Rugy.

Following the release of the CAE report, a source close to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe assured : «The government remains clearly opposed to the legalization of cannabis.» Even decriminalization seems out of the question now that, earlier this year, The Proposed Flat-Rate Fine for Drug Offenses.

Contrary to the recommendations issued by CAE analysts, Edouard Philippe has recently committed to only to intensify the crackdown. During his policy address, On June 12, he declared that the fight against drugs would be the «priority for the next twelve months.» «This means cracking down on retail outlets, dismantling distribution networks, and taking down the ringleaders,» he explained.

When questioned by an LCI reporter last Thursday, the Minister of Transportation confirmed the government’s position: «The Economic Analysis Council has taken up the issue on its own initiative; this was not commissioned by the government. The government’s position is very clear: we are against the legalization of the «recreational use» of cannabis, but we are currently considering its therapeutic uses.».

Indeed, while the legalization of recreational cannabis does not appear to be on the horizon, the pilot program for medical cannabis has been approved and will begin soon, even though its exact details are not yet known. The CSST recently revealed the details of the project, which must be approved by the ANSM before being implemented. At the same time, the fact-finding mission on hemp for wellness—initiated by Jean Baptiste Moreau, a long-distance walker and member of the National Assembly representing Creuse—is set to begin soon. This should help secure the non-industrial hemp sector, which currently spends more time in courtrooms than in stores.

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