French Senators Publish Letter Urging Cannabis Legalization in France

Recently in France, 31 senators from the Socialist, Ecologist, and Republican group published a co-signed letter in a forum in the French newspaper, Le Monde, calling for the launch of a consultation process to introduce new laws to legalize cannabis in France (1). The letter examines several options for the legalization of cannabis, ultimately rejecting the notion of decriminalization because it only “buys social peace with a certain cynicism.”

“Almost 18 million of our fellow citizens have used cannabis recreationally, according to a recent report by the National Assembly. Although it is banned, 1.5 million consume it regularly,” the letter states, using this to explain why the legalization of cannabis is a social issue that the public authorities must respond to (1). The letter compares this legalization to existing public policies for tobacco and alcohol, adding that it will provide the means to better protect citizens, especially younger ones, from uncontrolled consumption.

The Senate is the upper house of the French Parliament and sits alongside the lower chamber, the National Assembly. It is made up of 348 senators elected by part of the country’s local councilors and French citizens living abroad (1).

Currently in Europe, several countries have decriminalized cannabis or have medical cannabis programs, and as of this summer, Germany is preparing “to establish Europe’s first national recreational cannabis market” (2). Currently, no country allows the import or export of recreational cannabis.

References

1. https://businesscann.com/french-senators-petition-macrons-government-for-urgent-cannabis-reform/
2. https://mjbizdaily.com/big-questions-about-germany-cannabis-legalization-still-unanswered/