The Inevitable Legalization of Cannabis in France? A Neo-Institutional Approach

While, against international treaties, many countries currently legalize the cannabis market, France remains encamped on a prohibitionist policy based on the law of December 31, 1970. Under a framework of institutional change proposed by the neoinstitutional economy, we assume however that the legalization of cannabis appears to be inevitable in France. Mainly, the organizational arrangements that have emerged in recent years and competing with the illicit market by reducing the risk and uncertainty of transactions can only disqualify the effectiveness of police repression in addition to increase violence on the illegal market. Coupled with the political agenda of harm reduction actions of drug use as well as the qualification of cannabis as a medicine, the perception of the actors evolves gradually and inevitably in favour of a legalization of this psychoactive substance. All the more so that leading moral entrepreneurs are now advocating for this reform.