French Government-Tasked Commission Urges Cannabis Legalization

Everyone can see that cannabis policy reforms have been advancing around the free world and Europe is certainly a hotbed of activity as progressive policies have been enacted in nation after nation, with the momentum for legalization only gaining strength. One nation that has lagged behind is France, somewhat surprisingly to outsiders, as the country is a progressive leader on many issues, but is way behind its European neighbors on cannabis policy. Change is on the horizon, however, as the French government slowly but surely moves towards implementing a medical cannabis program and a new government-tasked commission of experts is urging the government to end cannabis prohibition for all adults.

The Telegraph reported:

In potentially explosive conclusions, two experts for the economic analysis council, or CAE, an influential advisory body to the prime minister, urged the government to end a blanket ban of the recreational drug.

In their report released on Thursday entitled “Cannabis: how to take back control”, the two CEA-mandated economists wrote: “The system of prohibition promised by France for the past 50 years has been a failure.”

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By their calculations, cannabis could bring up to €2.8 billion (£2.5bn) per year into state coffers and create up to 57,000 jobs.

It’s clear that cannabis prohibition has failed and any study by reasonable, open-minded experts will agree, just as the Shafer Commission appointed by U.S. President Richard Nixon found all the way back in 1972. Of course, to the detriment of millions of people, the Nixon administration ignored its experts findings. Hopefully, France’s leaders, despite the government’s current stance, listen to their experts much better than Nixon did and the great nation moves forward with medical and adult-use programs that will benefit patients while creating jobs and revenue for French citizens.

The International Cannabis Business Conference returns to Europe next year, but first has a couple of stops in North America. Next up: Vancouver, Canada, this September 15-16. Purchase discounted, early bird tickets by August 21st sto save.