French Senate votes for €500 cannabis fine in RIPOST bill

The French Senate has adopted the controversial RIPOST bill, a wide-ranging package of safety-oriented legislation designed to combat behavior deemed disruptive to public order, including the drug use, the raves street rodeos and nitrous oxide consumption.

Backed by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, the text was approved by a large majority of senators on May 26, with 243 votes in favor and 33 against.

Presented by the government as a «show of authority» in the face of daily unrest and violence linked to trafficking, the bill considerably strengthens penalties aimed at both consumers and organizers linked to clandestine festivities and psychoactive substances.

Tougher penalties for cannabis and drug users

One of the most controversial measures concerns the increase in the fixed fine for drug use. Currently set at €200 since 2020, this fine to €500 under the new bill, with a maximum penalty of €1,000.

The Senate also approved the possibility of suspending a driver's license for up to three years as an additional sanction, even in the absence of a traffic offence. According to Laurent Nuñez, this measure aims to «make consumers more responsible» in the fight against networks.

The government argues that consumers indirectly fuel organized crime and violence linked to the illicit market. During debates in the Senate, Mr. Nuñez referred to recent fatal incidents linked to trafficking, asserting that «if there weren't all these consumers, there wouldn't be any trafficking».

However, several left-wing senators and public health organizations have questioned the effectiveness of this punitive approach. Green senator Yannick Jadot regretted the impossibility of having «a calm debate on the legalization of cannabis» in France, while others referred to international examples such as the United States. Portugal's decriminalization policies.

Critics also pointed to the’he limited impact of lump-sum fines introduced in 2020. According to figures quoted during parliamentary discussions, drug use has not decreased since the measure came into force, while the number of cocaine users has continued to rise sharply.

Free parties and rave culture directly targeted

The RIPOST bill also marks a further escalation in the repression of the free parties and underground raves in France.

According to the version of the text adopted by the Senate, organizers of unauthorized musical gatherings would face up to two years' imprisonment, a €30,000 fine, confiscation of their sound equipment and suspension of their driving license. Participants themselves could face up to six months' imprisonment and fines of up to €7,500.

These measures rekindle long-standing tensions between the authorities and the French alternative electronic music scene, which has always criticized excessive police repression of free events.

French NGO Addictions France has warned that tougher sanctions could have the opposite effect to that intended. According to the association, increased criminalization drives events further underground, making them harder to monitor and reducing access to harm reduction services such as water, prevention teams and emergency aid.

The organization also noted that clandestine events often generate more tension with local residents and complicate public health interventions.

Crackdown on nitrous oxide raises concerns

Another major aspect of the bill deals with the growing consumption of nitrous oxide, commonly known as «laughing gas», among young people.

The Senate voted to create a new offence specifically criminalizing the inhalation of nitrous oxide, punishable by up to one year's imprisonment and a €3,750 fine. The senators also backed an almost total ban on sales to private individuals, although the government has yet to fully approve this measure at this stage.

Here again, addiction specialists say that repression alone will not solve the problem. Addictions France has warned that criminalizing users could encourage the emergence of a black market without significantly reducing consumption.

The association also criticized what it sees as an inconsistent approach to public health, pointing out that legal substances such as alcohol, nicotine products and gambling remain highly prevalent among young people while receiving comparatively less political attention.

A political and ideological battle ahead

Although passed by the Senate, the RIPOST bill still has to be considered by the National Assembly in the coming months, where debates are likely to be far more controversial due to the Assembly's political fragmentation.

Beyond safety issues, the bill highlights a deeper divide in France on how to deal with the drug use, youth culture and addiction.

While the government continues to focus on repression and deterrence, opposition MPs and health organizations are increasingly calling for policies focused on prevention, harm reduction and broader discussions around cannabis legalization.