France to issue on-the-spot fines for cannabis use
Decriminalisation of cannabis and other drugs has been a hot topic in France in recent years, with those advocating such a course facing accusations of being soft on crime
Thursday, January 25, 2018
The French government will start handing out smaller, on-the-spot fines as part of a new policy on cannabis use, ruling out a decriminalisation of the drug. “We are going to introduce simplified fines for this offence,” said Interior Minister Gerard Collomb. Collomb said further action against offenders would remain an option, adding: “Therefore there will be no decriminalisation for cannabis use.” The new fines are expected to be set at 150 to 200 euros. Cannabis use is on the rise in France, with around 700,000 people estimated to use every day. The number of 15- and 16-year-olds who admitted recent use of cannabis was higher in France than any other European country in a 2015 survey published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
