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 III: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.
Ep 24, Part II: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 12th 2024Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, discuss the discrepancies between current regulations and data on mycotoxins and pesticides in cannabis products. They highlight the need for updated regulations based on new data, emphasizing the importance of accurate testing and labeling. They also discuss the issue of result manipulation, particularly in THC content, and the need for public health officials to address this. Yasha suggests making testing data public to enhance oversight and suggests a national entity to manage this data for better consistency and public safety.
