The first supervised injection site in France opened in 2016: a hospital space where drug addicts can access clean equipment and syringes to manage their addictions. This was a small revolution in the French government’s approach to drug use. For several years, successive governments have been progressively abandoning the "zero tolerance" policy, the effectiveness of which is being questioned. For example, cannabis consumption is still strictly forbidden in France, but the
in 2022.
Men more affected by drug use in France
Drug use is a phenomenon that especially affects men, who are more likely to
experiment with all types of drugs. 13 percent of French young men stated they consumed cannabis regularly, compared to nine percent of women in 2022, and this gap also applies to "hard" drugs. Contrary to popular belief, the
youngest people are not the ones who consume the most cannabis, alcohol and tobacco, but the 25-30 year olds.
Drug use on the rise
Even while the French population was experiencing confinement due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,
cannabis consumption has not decreased. On the contrary, only 16 percent stated to have taken advantage of the months spent at home to reduce their consumption, while 27 percent consumed more. An alarming constant that is caused not only by the psychological upheavals of a long-term confinement, drug consumption in France has been increasing for many years. The share of people using
cocaine and new synthetic products like MDMA has also increased over the last twenty years.
The fight against drugs in France
Still prohibited and penalized in France, the hunt for drug users rages on. While a short majority of French was in favor of
depenalizing cannabis use, the Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, wants to once more apply a "zero tolerance" policy towards consumers. In 2023, the
number of crimes related to drug use and drug trafficking reached its highest level since 2016. In terms of seizures, in 2023, French law enforcement agencies confiscated nearly 70 tonnes of
cannabis and 12 tonnes of
cocaine.
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