Health officials in France have announced an extension of the country’s experimental medical cannabis program until July 31, 2025. Originally set to expire on December 31, 2024, the program, which began in March 2021, has been extended in order to further study the effects of medical cannabis on patients suffering from chronic diseases. The initial phase of the program included 3,000 patients with conditions such as chronic pain, cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other severe neurological and palliative care needs.
Departing Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq, in a letter detailing the extension, explained that the purpose was twofold: to either help patients gradually reduce their reliance on cannabis or to identify alternative treatments. This extension reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to thoroughly evaluate the medical potential of cannabis and its derivatives.
While cannabis remains strictly prohibited for recreational use in France, there has been a significant shift in the legal landscape regarding CBD. After a ban on CBD products was implemented in December 2021, the Constitutional Council of France overturned the ban just one month later, ruling that CBD is not addictive or harmful. As a result, CBD products, including low-THC hemp flower, are now legally sold in many parts of the country, even though cannabis for recreational use remains illegal.
The newly appointed French Health Minister Yannick Neuder has expressed support for continued research into medical cannabis but has reiterated his opposition to adult-use legalization. His stance mirrors the position of several lawmakers who have long opposed the legalization of recreational cannabis in France.
With the program’s extension, French officials are continuing their efforts to balance public health concerns with evolving cannabis research, while the debate over adult-use legalization remains an ongoing issue in the country’s political discourse.
