International

France: MP takes cannabis to Parliament to ask for legalization

Published

4 years ago

11 May, 2021

Photo: DR | LCP National Assembly

French deputy François-Michel Lambert caused controversy in Parliament by taking cannabis into the Chamber, denouncing criminalization and calling for a change in policy. The feat came a day before a multi-party parliamentary report advocating the legalization of cannabis was published.

Lambert also said that the ban "is a total failure" and that "legalization would make it possible to end trafficking, generate tax revenue and create jobs." Then he surprised the other deputies by showing a cup with a cannabis leaf, from which he took a joint.

“Other countries have chosen to face the problem instead of adopting the ostrich policy” like France, said the deputy.

Richard Ferrand, president of the French National Assembly, immediately rebuked Lambert, raising the possibility of paying a fine, but a group of majority deputies who support the government in the National Assembly wrote a report, defending the regulated legalization of cannabis in France in the face of “hypocrisy of speech” regarding the consumption of this drug in the country.

“A The ban adopted more than 50 years ago has a somewhat unattainable objective, without ever having had the means to achieve its ambitions. A regulated legalization is the best way to regain control and protect the French”, said Caroline Janvier, deputy for the majority Republique En Marche, in statements to Agence France Presse.

The delegation of deputies also noted “the failure” of public policies in France, having heard doctors, police, magistrates and researchers.

Deputies analyzed the cases of countries such as Canada or several states in the United States of America where the use of cannabis is already regulated, which has resulted in a decrease in consumption by minors, as well as a reduction in the black market.

According to the deputies, this will be a topic to be analyzed in 2022, after the presidential elections, which will take place in May next year.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

What do you do with €3 a month? Become one of our Patrons! If you believe that independent cannabis journalism is necessary, subscribe to one of the levels of our Patreon account and you will have access to unique gifts and exclusive content. If there are many of us, we can make a difference with little!

Laura Ramos

With a degree in Journalism from the University of Coimbra, Laura Ramos has a postgraduate degree in Photography and has been a Journalist since 1998. Winner of the Business of Cannabis Awards in the category "Journalist of the Year 2024", Laura was a correspondent for Jornal de Notícias in Rome, Italy, and Press Officer in the Office of the Minister of Education of the 21st Portuguese Government. She has an international certification in Permaculture (PDC) and created the street-art photography archive “Say What? Lisbon” @saywhatlisbon. Co-founder and Editor of CannaReporter® and coordinator of PTMC - Portugal Medical Cannabis, Laura directed the documentary “Pacientes” and was part of the steering group of the first Postgraduate Course in GxP's for Medicinal Cannabis in Portugal, in partnership with the Military Laboratory and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon.