Call for legalisation reignites cannabis debate in France

Some experts say France needs to do some soul searching on its drug laws
France 24 / AFP (France)
Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Jean-Marie Le GuenFrench politicians slammed a Socialist minister's call to legalise marijuana, re-igniting the debate in a country where cannabis use is common. A day after minister for parliamentary relations Jean-Marie Le Guen said prohibition had not caused drug use to fall, his own party called decriminalisation a bad idea. Le Guen, who is also a doctor and public health expert, stressed that "cannabis is a very bad thing for public health, in particular for young people." But he said: "prohibition has not led to a decrease in consumption." (See also: 6 graphiques qui montrent les limites de la répression des drogues en France | Ces élus qui souhaitent ouvrir le débat sur la dépénalisation du cannabis)