According to the European Union Drugs Agency, France has the highest rate of cannabis consumption on the European continent. Whereas adult-use cannabis policy modernization efforts have spread to Malta, Luxembourg, and Germany, and to a lesser extent the Netherlands and Switzerland, recreational cannabis remains illegal in France.
An escalation of violence linked to organized crime in France has led to recent calls by a parliamentary group for the European nation to legalize cannabis for adult use. La France Insoumise (LFI) has criticized the government’s current approach to cannabis policy.
“According to the unveiled “fight plan,” the government’s repressive response is not only insufficient, but it fuels insecurity, pushing citizens and officials into a cycle of violence.” stated Newsweed in its local reporting. “LFI advocates for a comprehensive, community-based approach to combating organized crime in France, including the legalization of cannabis.”
A previous study by an economic advisory board within the nation’s prime minister’s office determined that the French government spends roughly €570m annually on cannabis prohibition enforcement. The study recommended that France adopt adult-use cannabis legalization and launch a regulated recreational industry.
