French Senators Publish Letter Urging Cannabis Legalization in France
Recently in France, 31 senators published a co-signed letter in the French newspaper “Le Monde,” calling for the launch of a consultation process to introduce new laws to legalize cannabis in France.
Recently in France, 31 senators from the Socialist, Ecologist, and Republican group published a co-signed letter in a forum in the French newspaper, Le Monde, calling for the launch of a consultation process to introduce new laws to legalize cannabis in France (1). The letter examines several options for the legalization of cannabis, ultimately rejecting the notion of decriminalization because it only “buys social peace with a certain cynicism.”
“Almost 18 million of our fellow citizens have used cannabis recreationally, according to a recent report by the National Assembly. Although it is banned, 1.5 million consume it regularly,” the letter states, using this to explain why the legalization of cannabis is a social issue that the public authorities must respond to (1). The letter compares this legalization to existing public policies for tobacco and alcohol, adding that it will provide the means to better protect citizens, especially younger ones, from uncontrolled consumption.
The Senate is the upper house of the French Parliament and sits alongside the lower chamber, the National Assembly. It is made up of 348 senators elected by part of the country’s local councilors and French citizens living abroad (1).
Currently in Europe, several countries have decriminalized cannabis or have medical cannabis programs, and as of this summer, Germany is preparing “to establish Europe’s first national recreational cannabis market” (2). Currently, no country allows the import or export of recreational cannabis.
References
Ep 24, Part I: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Khan
November 21st 2024Evan Friedmann interviews Yasha Khan, co-founder of MCR Labs, about his journey into the cannabis industry and his efforts to promote transparency and integrity in laboratory practices. Yasha discusses the origins of MCR Labs, which began in Massachusetts to meet the needs of the soon-to-be legal medical cannabis market. He explains the challenges faced, including result manipulation by labs and the impact on public health. Yasha's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) project aimed to gather testing data from 37 states, revealed significant discrepancies in potency and mold results. Despite some states' reluctance to share data, Yasha has made much of this data public, leading to collaborative research and publications on various aspects of cannabis testing.
Assessing Cannabis as a Harm Reduction Strategy: Insights from a Large-Scale Study
November 19th 2024A New Zealand study aimed to assess cannabis use as a harm reduction tool. Findings highlight lifestyle factors, and suggest cannabis-focused harm reduction strategies in reducing other substance use such as alcohol.
Ep 23, Part III: Accreditation in the Cannabis Industry with Susan Audino
October 24th 2024In Part III of this episode, host Evan Friedmann is joined by Susan Audino, PhD, founder of S.A. Audino & Associates, LLC, and co-founder of Saturn Scientific, LLC, to examine the complexities of sampling in the cannabis industry, emphasizing the need for proper sampling plans, and methods.
