On TV tonight: Creuse wants to be the pioneer of French cannabis

It's a green setting, right in the middle of the Massif Central. With an economy essentially based on agriculture, Creuse wants to trade in its Limousin cows for... cannabis. Le department dreams of «green gold» and wants to cover its fields with therapeutic cannabis plants.

The documentary «Les promesses du chanvre» - broadcast tonight at 11:25 pm on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine - shows the players behind this revival. In front of Suzanne Chopin's camera, we witness a new generation of hemp growers. «A portrait of an entire rural territory that is uniting to break out of its stasis.».

The «conversion» begins in 2018. It's the president of the Guéret agglomeration who sounds the starting signal. Eric Correia, a former nurse anesthetist, surprises everyone. He says he's in favor of Creuse becoming a pilot department for producing therapeutic cannabis, «but only in our department».

Twice the population in 1821

Chairman of the agglomeration takes a leaf out of Colorado's book. «This American state, which was in deficit, is now redistributing money to the population».». And that's exactly what Eric Correia wants to do with therapeutic cannabis: redistribute money in a department that is losing inhabitants and struggling to attract new ones. Creuse has lost half its population in two centuries. In 1821, 250,000 inhabitants populated the department's forests and peat bogs. By 2021, there will only be 115,000.

So it's a very interesting economic lever for the Creuse. And the argument is convincing for Creuse farmers. The documentary shows these new workers, «Jouany Chatoux and Nicolas Dupont, two farmers in search of new directions to get by. In recent weeks, Eric Correia has also been fighting to ensure that his department takes an active part in experiments with therapeutic cannabis.

«Les promesses du chanvre», broadcast tonight at 11:25 pm on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine, or live on the channel's website. A co-production: France télévisions / What's Up Productions.

Available in Replay on France 3 Nouvelle Aquitaine