Where does Christophe Castaner stand on cannabis in France?

Christophe Castaner is our new Minister of the Interior. What is his stance on cannabis policy in France?

In 2015, he surprised many by calling for a genuine public debate on the issue. Nevertheless, he now supports the flat-rate fine, which effectively puts an end to the debate by maintaining the status quo under the guise of change. Will his appointment to the Ministry of the Interior bring anything new?

Former Minister Castaner Calls for the Legalization of Cannabis and Personal Cultivation

Back in 2015, when he was still a Socialist Party (PS) representative for the second district of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Christophe Castaner had expressed a bold stance on cannabis. In an interview with Gomet, a Marseille-based media outlet, he raised the possibility of making medical cannabis available in pharmacies and allowing personal cultivation for personal use. He also called for a genuine public debate: «In France, we refuse to open certain debates even though we haven’t really gotten to the heart of the matter.»

In this interview, he addressed issues of police effectiveness and public health. He stated: «It has been proven that, when used by people over the age of 25—provided it is done in moderation—it does not jeopardize basic health.» He advocated for a preventive approach focused on raising awareness among young people under 25 and managing health risks. He continued: «I prefer a regulated, supported, and legislated framework rather than a lawless zone where there is no care and no prevention.».

On the subject of law enforcement, he explained that the profitability of cannabis trafficking renders penalties ineffective—not only from the perspective of the trafficking itself, which reorganizes as soon as a network is dismantled, but also from the perspective of consumers, whose numbers are growing. In this interview, he suggested legalizing personal cultivation to help «break the cycle of delinquency that we see in our neighborhoods.».

See for yourself.

The New Castaner Supports the Flat-Rate Fine

The debate over the’Fixed-amount fine for cannabis users in France as of last January, when two members of Congress had proposed different bills. Today, the project is taking shape following the Senate vote.

During the presentation of the bills, particularly the one proposing a flat-rate fine for cannabis users, the public debate had gained some momentum. On that occasion, Christophe Castaner, then general delegate of La République en Marche (La REM), had supported the project because, according to him, it would be effective as a deterrent for young people: «A fine of 150–200 euros will be more of a deterrent for a young person when they return home to their parents that evening to explain why they need that amount of money.» Here we see the the same argument as Senator Cathrine Conconne, namely the protection of minors, and the same contradiction: the fine does not apply to minors.

This is not the only contradiction in the new minister’s remarks, since he says he supports decriminalization and fines. However, a fine does not constitute decriminalization, even though in terms of communication it was first presented in this way. In reality, these penalties still exist in law; they are simply replaced by a monetary fine, but they remain enforceable.

Had the new minister also acknowledged, in a tweet from January, the failure of the prohibitionist policy—only to endorse it again in the same tweet?

Cannabis: we're one of the most repressive countries in the world, but also one of the biggest consumers. It doesn't work.
Penalties must be enforceable, effective and dissuasive. No laxity, but effective, enforceable and dissuasive penalties. @francebleu

- Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) January 22, 2018

Comparing the minister’s previous and current positions seems to support the idea that he has revised his views following his switch to a new party, a bit like François de Rugy. However, his appointment as Minister of the Interior will bring him face-to-face with the issue of cannabis in France.

With at least two influential ministers openly in favor of legalizing cannabis in France, is there room for initiatives outside the government’s framework?