On February 4, 2015, a debate was held for the first time in France on cannabis legislation in the temple of conservatism: the famous Senate! It’s no secret that France is the country in Europe that consumes the most cannabis, so why not legalize it and thus control its access?
Senator Esther Benbassa defended a text that plans to authorize the retail sale of cannabis. A fight that seems lost in advance.
His idea ? Legalize trade for recreational use, with a network of tobacconist retailers, while prohibiting advertising and sales to minors.
“This is the first time that such a proposal has been debated in this temple of conservatism”, explains the senator from Val-de-Marne, who knows the weight of the “taboo” among French elected officials. Nevertheless, even hostile to controlled legalization, senators noted the failure of prohibition, as we saw in the Social Affairs Committee on January 28.
“I was opposed to legalization, but for ten or fifteen years, contact with the realities on the ground has made me evolve, explained Michel Amiel (Bouches-du-Rhône, not registered). We must recognize that, to buy peace in the neighborhoods, we have collectively turned a blind eye to the parallel economy that has developed. Unless we put in place a particularly harsh criminal policy, which is unrealistic, it is impossible to go back. Gilbert Barbier (Jura, UMP) admits that “the current repression is not satisfactory”. He recognizes that “legalization allows a framework”. But while maintaining the ban, he advocates decriminalization, by sanctioning the first use by a fine, instead of prison. “For local elected officials confronted with trafficking, it must be recognized that repression is a failure”, added Laurence Cohen (PCF, Val-de-Marne). But for her, Benbassa “puts the cart before the horse”: it is better to start with a decriminalization “which maintains the ban”. For Gérard Roche (UDI, Haute-Loire), “we must impose a stop to the clandestine cannabis market”. And if Michel Vergoz (PS, Reunion), pharmacist, says he is “for a supervised issue”, he will not vote for the text so as not to expose himself, “as a potential seller, to a conflict of interest”.
If we pass this text, we may have the opportunity, if we are still alive by then, to regret having accepted your proposal today. This is why we will vote against“, declared yesterday Alain Milon, 67, senator for 11 years and chairman of the Social Affairs Committee. A voice rises to answer him: “I don’t smoke, so I’ll still be here to see that.” Rumor of assent from the assembly and mocking smiles.
A France yet champion in cannabis consumption
Everyone agrees that the French are the biggest consumers of cannabis, however for moral and ethical reasons the Senate voted against this new legislation, arguing: “Our society needs benchmarks. We see it with alcohol and tobacco, it is very difficult to go back once a drug has been legalized.
Benbassa will argue that repression is not the solution and that we see this in particular on the ease with which the substance can be obtained in France, both hashish and grass or “Beu”. This product maintains an economy parallel to the financial stakes which generates considerable gains and feeds tens of thousands of families in the cities.
The objective will be to follow the example of Colorado or more recently Washington, and thus come out of hiding.
