France to Launch Regulated Medical Cannabis Market

After four years of experimentation, France is finally preparing to launch a fully regulated national system for medical cannabis.

On March 19th, 2025, three key decrees were sent to the European Union, outlining in detail how the new market will operate. This move was both long-awaited and unexpected, coming just days before access to treatment expired for the 1,600 patients involved in the trial launched in 2021.

Medical Cannabis in France: An Ambitious Regulatory Framework

The new system in France requires that only specially trained and certified doctors can prescribe medical cannabis. The training will be structured in collaboration with the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS).

The prescription will be reserved for patients who have not benefited from conventional therapies and will be limited to specific pathologies : neuropathic pain, drug-resistant epilepsy, spasticity from multiple sclerosis, side effects of chemotherapy and palliative care.

Flowering cannabis now alloweed in France, but only vaporized

Among the most significant changes in France is the introduction of flowering cannabis, but with an important clause: smoking it will be prohibited. Patients will only be able to take it through CE-certified dry vaporization devices, since the latest decree authorizes the use of cannabis flowers in safe, tamper-proof single-dose cartridges.

The products, including oils and sublingual solutions, will be divided into three profiles: THC-dominant, balanced, and CBD-dominant. Each product will have to be full spectrum, with the possibility of also declaring minor cannabinoids and terpenes, thus promoting greater competitiveness.

Production, controls and safety

The decree also provides for a rigorous system of temporary marketing authorizations (ATU), issued and monitored by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). Companies will have to demonstrate compliance with EU-GMP standards and submit periodic safety reports. Cultivation will be allowed only in indoor environments or greenhouses not visible to the public and only if there is a binding contract with a company authorized for distribution.

Although the French system is still in its infancy, industry players see great potential. According to Benjamin Alexandre-Jeanroy of Augur Associates, France could reach 300,000 to 500,000 patients by 2035. Unlike other European countries, the French model integrates medical cannabis into the broader pharmaceutical landscape, providing greater regulatory stability and fewer bureaucratic hurdles. The immediate opportunity appears to be importing finished products to be packaged and inspected locally.

The French government’s decision comes at a delicate time, after months of political instability. But with the formal launch of the new regulatory framework, France is preparing to become a major player in the European medical cannabis market. The hope is that this change of direction will represent a relief for patients and a concrete opportunity for research and the industry.

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(Featured image by George Kantartzis via Unsplash)

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First published in Cannabis Terapeutica. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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