France: Parliament to Debate Cannabis Legalization
The French Parliament has scheduled the discussion of a bill that seeks to legalize cannabis use and create a regulated market for the substance. The initiative was presented earlier this month by a group of MPs that includes members of the ruling party.
France has the largest illegal cannabis market in Europe, and there’s a growing sentiment that regulating it would contribute to public health and safety.
The Harm Reduction Argument
In a statement accompanying the bill, its authors said that state control is needed to protect both cannabis consumers and the society at large. This can only be achieved through the regulation of production, distribution, and sale of the substance. They also cited the social injustice of criminally prosecuting cannabis consumers.
A similar argument was put forward in Italy where a referendum to allow weed cultivation at home will likely be held this year. In December 2021, Malta legalized adult use of the substance, and Germany’s new coalition government announced its plans to create a regulated cannabis market as one of its top priorities.
Popular Support in France is Growing
Although the French government continues with its hardline policy of cannabis criminalization, recent polls demonstrate a clear shift in public opinion. According to the latest IFOP data, 51 percent of those polled on cannabis reform think that its use should be decriminalized. In 2017, only 43 percent of respondents were in favor of the move.
Moreover, two-thirds of the respondents thought that the creation of a legal state-run market, though hardly feasible at the moment, would be a sensible policy for the future.
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