France is currently Europe's leading producer of agricultural hemp, which is used in the textile and construction industries for its stalks and resistant fibers, and in the food and cosmetics industries for its seeds (hempseed), which are rich in omega 3 and 6, vitamins, minerals, fiber and amino acids. Tons of flowers and leaves, rich in phytocannabinoids, are destroyed every year.

What's the status of the debate on future changes to French cannabis legislation?

Cannabis for therapeutic purposes

On September 10, 2018, theAgence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé (ANSM) created a Temporary Specialized Scientific Committee (CSST ) to "assess the relevance and feasibility of making cannabis available for therapeutic purposes in France". [1]

This was followed by the organization of three sessions, between October and December 2018, to take stock of : [2]

• the potential therapeutic virtues of cannabis, with reference to international and French scientific literature, as well aspublic hearings with healthcare professionals and competent associations
• current local and international legislation and regulations
• local consumption of cannabis, France being the European country with the highest number of consumers [3].

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On December 12, 2018, this independent committee of experts declared its initial conclusions, coming out in favor of the use of cannabis to relieve certain serious pathologies as a complement to or replacement for current treatments. [4]

The Temporary Specialized Scientific Committee (CSST ) will select the following pathologies:

• pain drug-resistant refractory pain
• epilepsies drug-resistant and unstabilized
• symptoms of cancers (nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite...)
• palliative situations
• painful spasticity in multiple sclerosis
• central nervous system disorders

They are also calling for a national registry to track patients, the encouragement of research and a change in current legislation. L'Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé (ANSM) validated these points on December 27. [5]

After five committee meetings between January and June 2019, to determine the terms of the experimental project, the Temporary Specialized Scientific Committee (CSST ) issued its report on June 27, 2019 on this experimental project, which will run for two years. [6]

Discover the experimental project

TheAgence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des Produits de Santé (ANSM) validated this project on July 11, 2019 [7] , the same day as a conference at the FrenchNational Assembly on "Hemp and well-being, a new industry in France", marking the start of this long phase ofexperimentation, which will probably end in early 2022 (the year in which the current French President's five-year term ends).

Hemp "well-being" [8]

On July 11, 2019, a symposium was held at the FrenchNational Assembly entitled "Hemp well-being, a new industry in France" to define the economic stakes and potential benefits for users.

On the initiative of MPs Jean-Baptiste Moreau, Ludovic Mendes, Sandrine Le Feur, and Senator Joël Labbé, in partnership with the Syndicat Professionnel du Chanvre (SPC), the event was a resounding success, with nearly three hundred industry players (hemp growers, by-product producers, retailers, associations, etc.) taking part.

Discover the event program

The morning's debates led to the exceptional creation of four information missions to shed light on the public debate and on the likelihood of a change in the legislation governing the various uses of hemp (therapeutic, well-being and recreational).

• Barbara Pompili, Chairwoman of the Committee on Sustainable Development and Spatial Planning
• Yaël Braun-Pivet, Chairwoman of the Law Commission
• Brigitte Bourguignon, Chairwoman of the Social Affairs Committee
• Roland Lescure, Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee

The final objective of this fact-finding mission will be a proposal, or a bill, to develop the industry which, apart from its annual production of raw materials, is just waiting for the green light from the competent authorities.

Sources

[1] - ANSM announces the creation of a committee on the assessment of the relevance and feasibility of making therapeutic cannabis available in France - Information point of September 10, 2018

[2] - Therapeutic cannabis in France: CSST work program - Information point of October 10, 2018.

[3] - E Janssen, S Spilka, M Martinez, M Gandilhon, AC Brisacier, C Palle, T Néfau - Cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids - Drogues et addictions, données essentielles - Édition 2019

[4] - Therapeutic cannabis in France: the ANSM publishes the initial conclusions of the CSST - Information point of December 13, 2018

[5] - The ANSM endorses the initial conclusions of the CSST on the appropriateness of the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes - Information point of December 27, 2018

[6] - Comité scientifique spécialisé temporaire " évaluation de la pertinence et de la faisabilité de la mise à disposition du cannabis thérapeutique en France " - Cannabis à visée thérapeutique : Projet d'expérimentation - June 27, 2019

[7] - Cannabis for therapeutic purposes in France: the ANSM endorses the framework for the experimental phase of availability proposed by the Expert Committee - Information point of July 11, 2019

[8] - Syndicat Professionnel du Chanvre - Briefing on the fact-finding mission of July 15, 2019