Decriminalization of cannabis: the false note Le Guen – Les Echos

Monday, on BFMTV, Jean-Marie Le Guen, the Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament, said he wished that “the Socialist Party (PS) opens a debate on the end prohibition “of cannabis. After talking, last weekend at the Socialist Party national council, he explained that the “current situation does not work” and “we must move.”

Moving? It’s not so much under the government program. After this announcement, Stéphane Le Foll, spokesman of the government, said on France 2 that “there is no work nor track of discussions initiated at the government on this issue.” A position confirmed by Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the Minister of Education. Invited Tuesday on RMC / BFM TV, she explained that “there are no decriminalization of cannabis in sight.”

A public health issue

“Knowing Jean-Marie Le Guen,” who is a doctor, “he had to express a personal opinion,” she added. Same story for Stéphane Le Foll who stressed that it was “a position he has long defended (…) as a doctor. “. A position that aims to end the prohibition policy “applied for 30 years does not work.” “Perhaps we should move towards controlled legalization mechanisms, especially with public health and education policies.” One who stands out as “a public health man,” said he would make “proposals”.

But Stéphane Le Foll said that “there is not on this other positions than has been expressed by the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic “. As for Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, she said she was “quite hostile to what sends a signal” showing “that guard down in the battle against drugs.”

There are both” a public health issue “and” a wrestling challenge against underground traffic “to consider. “We need to preserve our youth, our drug children,” she argued before saying “it takes forbidden in our society.”

Not a good time to discuss

If the government does not appear ready to follow and defend the position of Jean -Marie Le Guen on the decriminalization of cannabis, the idea of ​​a possible debate does not seem the repugnant. “If the Socialist Party wants to debate, it is quite legitimate,” said Stephane Le Foll. But today, the time – or the end of a five-year term – to discuss such a topic does not seem to be the most appropriate. “Whether it will ever be the case of a debate mastered for example in the context of a presidential campaign, why not, but not today,” said Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.

If this proposal of Jean-Marie Le Guen did not convince the majority, it will at least got an echo along the Canebière where settlement building on violence accounts and drug trafficking news feed. If it met the “arguments” of patrick mennucci, the socialist deputy of the Bouches-du-Rhône, the decriminalization of cannabis does not seem to be the solution for Samia Ghali, Senator and Mayor of the 15th and 16th arrondissements of Marseille.

this proposal will especially interest to open the doors to political reactions of the opposition. And as always, Twitter is full of these hostile statements: Alain Juppe Florian Philippot, via Eric Ciotti, Christian Estrosi, or, Benoist Found …