Public drug policy in France: a failure. What's next?

Edito. How can we rethink current public drug policies in France? The majority of stakeholders now agree that these policies have failed. Only the reasons for this failure remain a matter of debate. At a time when every presidential candidate In his view, when it comes to the possible regulation of cannabis, the priority right now is dialogue. That is what ECHO, a French action tank, is advocating.

The debate on drugs in France has stalled. With the presidential election approaching, candidates are under pressure to take a stance on this issue. They will also be participating tomorrow at the CNAM. But previous governments have done little, even though the consequences of public drug policies have far-reaching effects in the medical, social, economic, and legal spheres, among others…

The only way to bring about change today is through a citizens’ movement—a point that has been made time and again by the politicians in power, whether during a meeting in Saint-Ouen or to Senate.

ECHO was created in response to this observation and now proposes an action plan:

• from explanatory notes on the current state of public drug policies in France
• a op-ed published on their website and on LeMonde.fr which sums up very well the ins and outs of the issue and the need for a debate. The op-ed was signed by numerous prominent figures from across the political spectrum and with differing views (details are in the link), already demonstrating that this issue clearly goes beyond the purely political or black-and-white framework of potential solutions
• a petition to show the candidates and to the future president that this issue brings people together. For now, this is the only way to make a difference and to crack the glass tower that surrounds some of our elected officials

The purpose of this initiative is to spark a discussion with all stakeholders. ECHO is by no means intended to replace organizations that advocate for cannabis regulation, but rather serves to facilitate the emergence of a dialogue, without taking a position or offering a preconceived solution.

There are numerous examples from other countries showing the possibilities for action: Canada, through a pro-legalization candidate who keeps his word as soon as he is elected; the United States, through citizen referendums (which do not exist in France); and Uruguay, through a president who has cojones, a court ruling in favor of a patient in Germany, etc. France must now come together on an issue with numerous and significant implications.

It is all too often pointed out that our country has the most repressive cannabis policies in Europe, yet also the highest rate of consumption. Medical use is also still prohibited, leaving patients without an effective way to treat themselves or relieve their symptoms, even though all of our neighboring European countries have now at least decriminalized the use and possession of small amounts of cannabis.

So now is the time to act. To start, ECHO needs your help: Sign the petition and Join them on Facebook.

We will, of course, be following the progress of this democratic, citizen-led initiative, which we can only welcome. It is undoubtedly the best opportunity we have today to spark this debate.