The town hall of Bègles, near Bordeaux, has set up a supervised experimentation project for the legalization of cannabis. The experiment would be carried out with a panel of 100 volunteers already using cannabis.
They would have the possibility of obtaining supplies in a discreet sales room, at a price lower than the market price. They could consume on site or at their home and would be monitored and supported for five years by medical and scientific teams. The project also includes a prevention campaign, particularly aimed at middle and high schools, to raise awareness of the risks linked to consumption. The French cannabis market is nevertheless one of the largest in Europe, in terms of consumption (five million users per year in France, out of 22 million in the EU) and turnover, according to the Observatory French drugs. In spring 2021, Emmanuel Macron proposed “launching a major debate on drug consumption” while showing himself opposed to any legalization of Cannabis in the country. The town of Strasbourg is also in favor of setting up a local experiment similar to the one that BèGles wants to put in place.