Faced with the government's crackdown, LFI pushes for cannabis legalization

In the face of escalating violence linked to organized crime in France, the French parliamentary group La France Insoumise (LFI) has expressed strong criticism to the government's strategy.

According to the« control plan »The government's repressive response is not only inadequate, it fuels insecurity, pushing citizens and public servants into a cycle of violence. LFI advocates a comprehensive, community-based approach to fighting organized crime in France, including the legalization of cannabis.

Moving from repression to regulation

LFI's proposals highlight a critique of the government's current approach, which has largely focused on repressive measures against drug trafficking. According to LFI, this strategy is not only ineffective but dangerous. It argues that focusing exclusively on «drug trafficking» neglects the overall architecture of organized crime and even strengthens criminal networks by forcing these activities underground.

Citing factors such as economic and social inequalities that contribute to the rise of organized crime, LFI proposes a more holistic approach. It argues that «the criminalization of the production, distribution and consumption» of substances such as cannabis has unwittingly created a thriving black market, which in turn finances other illegal activities, such as arms trafficking and money laundering. This situation, they argue, intensifies violence and increases vulnerability within communities.

LFI suggests that current prohibitionist policies are a failure, as they neither reduce consumption nor effectively combat the violence associated with the black market.

That's why LFI has incorporated cannabis legalization into its strategy. For LFI, legalization is not just a question of individual freedom or public health; it's a calculated economic decision designed to «take the wind out of the traffickers» sails" by transferring the production, distribution and sale of cannabis to a controlled legal framework in line with a proposal from the French government. already supported by the LFI group a few years ago. By legalizing cannabis under state control, LFI aims to eliminate an essential source of revenue for criminal organizations.

The proposal calls for the creation of a public administrative body to oversee the production and distribution of cannabis. This body would regulate cultivation, grant sales licenses and establish quality control guidelines, thus creating a regulated market.

According to the LFI plan, state-controlled cannabis sales would foster a legal economy around the industry, generating tax revenues while reducing the influence of organized crime in the sector. In addition, the plan calls for allowing self-cultivation (up to five plants per household) and setting the minimum age for purchase and consumption at 18, similar to France's Evin law on alcohol advertising restrictions.

Following the example of countries such as Germany, LFI proposes to maintain the illegality of driving under the influence, but to adapt control measures so that they are both fair and effective.

Tackling organized crime on a global scale

The BIA proposal goes beyond cannabis legalization. Its comprehensive approach to disarming organized crime includes 14 detailed measures aimed at attacking the problem from multiple angles:

• Cut off sources of funding to hit traffickers in the wallet with aggressive anti-money laundering tactics and asset seizures.
• Strengthening the resources of the justice system and the police
• Focus on effective prevention by supporting youth and community programs and ensuring that social services are available in at-risk areas.
• Combating arms trafficking
• To counter the 'omerta» (code of silence) that surrounds organized crime, the BIA advocates a status of repentant offender to encourage cooperation from insiders, as well as a commitment to support the victims of criminal organizations.