Poll: 51% of French in favor of legalizing cannabis, 82% for medical use

An IFOP poll conducted by the think tank Terra Nova and the participatory citizen advocacy group Echo Citoyen now shows a «tipping point» in public opinion regarding the use of cannabis for recreational and therapeutic purposes.

Adult use

Among adults, 51% of French people say they support government regulation of recreational cannabis. In contrast, 40% oppose it, and 9% are undecided.

If legalization were to occur, tax revenues could be used to fund the healthcare system (72%), combat other forms of trafficking (42%), or support drug prevention and education (38%).

The survey also asked about the benefits of a cannabis legalization For adults, with 72% of respondents seeing it as a potential source of revenue for the government, 70% a way to ensure quality products are available, 67% a means of combating the illegal market, and 61% an opportunity to reduce violence in certain neighborhoods.

Ineffective repressive policies

L’the ineffectiveness of public drug policies in France is also widely perceived. 78% of respondents believe that current policies are not effective in curbing trafficking and limiting consumption, and 66% believe they are not effective in preventing health risks.

A Changing Perception

Perceptions of the dangers of cannabis are also changing, with the perceived risk now similar to that of alcohol and lower than that of cigarettes, LSD, or cocaine. 38% of respondents also note that cannabis is harmful to health (38% after the first use, 41% several times a year, 11% per month, or 30% every day).

Referendum on Medical Cannabis

The poll shows overwhelming support for the authorization of medical cannabis by prescription for serious illnesses, with 82% of respondents in favor, and 62% supporting its availability in all forms (dried flowers, medicinal products, oil, or extracts).

56% also believe that medical cannabis could be covered by Social Security, similar to what is done in Germany.

In 2016, 52% of French people already said they were in favor of legalizing cannabis. A summary of the survey can be found at the Terra Nova website.