Canna beginners: how to legally use cannabis in France

Unfortunately, while world-renowned hash maker Frenchy Cannoli was a true cannabis evangelist, educating the masses on how to make quality hash, the country he hails from, France, has very different views on cannabis. Considering how restrictive French cannabis laws were until recently, it’s no wonder Frenchy left home to find greener pastures and greener bud in other countries. Read on to learn the basics of cannabis in France before your next visit to Paris.

drug trafficking

Before we get into French cannabis laws, a word about drug trafficking. In France, as in most countries, a person who brings drugs into the country by plane can be charged with drug trafficking. A law that went into effect in 2020 was a small step toward decriminalizing cannabis possession. As long as it weighs less than 50 grams (about two ounces), there is a chance of paying a fine and avoiding jail time, but it’s still a criminal offense.

Emerging medical cannabis industry

France began its experiments with medicinal cannabis in 2021 with a two-year pilot study involving 3,000 patients. Given the success of their ongoing pilot study, it’s no surprise that on March 1, 2022, the French government issued a decree legalizing medicinal cannabis. Specifically, the decree amended French health law, allowing for the legal cultivation, production/manufacture, transportation (including import/export) and possession of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

This decree will lead to the birth of a French medicinal cannabis industry, but only if it is implemented and the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Healthcare Products (ANSM) establishes the supply chain. The ANSM is also to set up the 11-member committee that will have an advisory role on a number of aspects related to medicinal cannabis, such as: B. Traceability, Approved Ingestion Methods and Identification of Varieties.

No reciprocity on medicinal cannabis

As the medicinal cannabis industry is still in its infancy in France, there are currently no regulations allowing the so-called reciprocity of medicinal cannabis, i.e. This means that even if you have a medicinal cannabis recommendation valid in another country (Canada, Germany, Israel, USA, etc.), it will not help you legally buy or use cannabis in France. Time will tell if France will allow some kind of reciprocity for medical cannabis patients.

Limited progress towards full legalization

France is widely regarded as the country with the most restrictive cannabis laws in Europe and although the country has only recently introduced medicinal cannabis, progress has been slow and the government is generally opposed to legalisation. Like the United States, the French Interior Ministry, despite very restrictive cannabis laws, notes that it “has the second highest consumption in Europe, with around 900,000 daily cannabis users”. As a member of the European Union, France is watching its neighbor Germany, and French Health Minister François Braun says it will “closely monitor developments in Germany’s legal framework, particularly with regard to its potential impact on border regions”. What’s frustrating is that in the United States and much of the world, cannabis is showing a positive trend and legalization is proceeding fairly quickly, while in France things have stalled with the early start of medicinal legalization.