Poll: 45 % of French doctors in favor of «supervised» legalization of cannabis

The International Medical Journal (JIM) surveyed its readers: nearly’One in two doctors is in favor «Under the regulated authorization of consumption and production» of cannabis. Of the 1,164 people surveyed, nearly a quarter (24%) call for a «tightening of sanctions, 15 % voted in favor of maintaining the status quo, and 12 % voted in favor of decriminalization.

Survey conducted by the International Journal of Medicine, from March 15 to April 4, 2021

This survey should not be taken at face value. «This is not an IFOP poll, conducted according to the quota rule. This is a survey on the website's homepage; to answer it, you need to be subscribed to JIM., precise Aurélie Haroche, the editor-in-chief, reached by Newsweed. It's a weather report on opinion, it gives an indication of what doctors think.»

The readers of this website, the second most visited among healthcare professionals, are mainly self-employed doctors. This is a profession that leans towards the right of the political spectrum. «Right now we see that a few mayors from The Republicans talking about legalizing cannabis, so I think doctors are following that same trend», estimates the editor-in-chief.

Fiercely opposed by the Academy of Medicine

But a non-negligible portion of doctors remain attached to the prohibition of cannabis among JIM readers. « This is not a statistical survey. It is a simple illustration of the active fringe of opinion, among a readership that is, moreover, ill-defined. The only scientifically reasonable attitude is temporary experimentation.», denounces Doctor Pierre Rimbaud, in the comments section.

The Academy of Medicine, for its part, fiercely opposes legalization. This institution, representing 135 professors, highlights «thenow very solid scientific data, on the cardiotoxicitiesvascular, cerebrovascular, pulmonary, psychiatric, immune of the cannabis. The Academy also points « lTHC vulnerability in the adolescent and young adult brain (in connection with their brain development not yet complete, and which will not be until 25 years old».

To understand the global perspective of doctors regarding cannabis, we'll have to wait a few months. Before every presidential election, The IFOP polling institute surveys healthcare professionals on major political topics.. Undoubtedly, legislative changes surrounding cannabis will be debated in 2022.