A byline by Benjamin-Alexandre Jeanroy, CEO of Augur Associates and Aurélien Bernard, founder of Newsweed.
As France closes its four-year national pilot program for medical cannabis, the country’s stance towards cannabinoid-based medicine stands at a critical inflexion point.
The findings of the program and the recent government moves suggest that, at long last, this potentially sleeping giant of the European market may soon awaken — if regulatory, industrial, and patient-access challenges are actively addressed in the upcoming years.
What Has Been Achieved So Far?
Since its launch in 2021, France’s medical cannabis pilot program has tested prescription and delivery feasibility across five indications: neuropathic pain, severe epilepsy, oncology support, palliative care, and spasticity in multiple sclerosis and other central nervous system disorders.
Key facts from the pilot phase:
- Over 3,200 patients enrolled, with nearly 1,850 still active in treatment as of late 2024.
- Four international suppliers (Aurora, Tilray, Panaxia, Little Green Pharma) provided products -free of charge- such as oils, gel capsules, and flowers for vaporisation.
- Robust safety profile: No abuse or dependence cases recorded; adverse effects remained within expectations.
- High patient satisfaction: 93% of respondents support permanent access to medical cannabis; the average satisfaction score was 8.2/10.
- Healthcare system feasibility confirmed, but with one caveat: insufficient involvement from general practitioners, pointing to an urgent need for better integration into primary care.
France also set up a national electronic patient register (ReCann) — a rare and valuable tool in Europe — to track efficacy, side effects, and product usage comprehensively.
Where Does France Stand Now?
While the pilot successfully demonstrated safety, efficacy, and healthcare system compatibility, progress towards full market deployment remains delayed:
- Regulatory uncertainty persists. The required decrees have been submitted to the EU via the TRIS procedure but await final validation, expected on June 20th.
- Few market-ready domestic supply chains. Most products will remain sourced internationally; French cultivation licenses are rare and currently limited to R&D (although this will change in the upcoming months).
- Product restrictions remain strict, with flowers limited to capsule form only — a limitation that could face legal challenges from patients and advocacy groups in the upcoming years.
- While the French market will be a public framework, reimbursement rates are unresolved, pending the French Health Authority (HAS) and economic impact evaluations which is expected for November 2025.
As a result, the market is currently on the brink, rich in potential but framed by administrative and economic caution.
What Could France Become?
According to Prohibition Partners, France’s medical cannabis market could reach €806 million in annual sales by 2035, serving well over 450,000 patients — but only if structural reforms unlock the sector:
- Local production is essential. France must develop GMP-compliant cultivation and processing capacity to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. A couple of French-made initiatives are up and running and only await final commercial authorisations.
- Domestic R&D and innovation hubs could allow France to compete with Germany, Denmark, and Portugal in medical cannabis exports.
- New indications could expand the market, including Crohn’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, and Tourette’s — all positively reviewed by the French Scientific Committee but not yet approved.
Moreover, industrial players could benefit from an early-mover advantage by shaping standards, products, and services in an underdeveloped but highly promising market. The experience of France in the pharmaceutical sector will without doubt be a strong asset.
What Needs to Change?
To fully realise this potential — and improve patient access — the following recommendations are clear:
- Finalise and clarify the regulatory framework, including reimbursement rules.
- Promote domestic production through streamlined licensing and public investment support.
- Train and engage general practitioners, easing their involvement in prescriptions and follow-ups.
- Allow more flexible product forms, including dried flower for vaporisation — already standard across Europe.
- Foster private-sector participation to build a resilient, competitive supply chain.
- Ensure equitable patient access, including the right to drive for treated patients, ease overly restrictive inclusion criteria, integrate additional medically relevant indications, adapt research methodologies to real-life medical cannabis use, and integrate cannabis-based medicines into the full pharmacopoeia rather than reserving them as a treatment of last resort.
Without these steps, France risks missing its window to join the leadership circle of Europe’s medical cannabis markets — and denying thousands of patients consistent, affordable treatment.
Conclusion: A Market Ripe for Entry
For investors, cultivators, processors, and healthcare innovators, France offers a rare opportunity: the chance to shape a large, structured national market from the ground up, with full public health backing and political legitimacy.
The pilot program proved that medical cannabis works — and works safely — in France. What comes next depends on regulatory clarity, industrial engagement, and stakeholder confidence.
For those prepared to engage now, the French medical cannabis market may well become Europe’s next frontier.
About the authors
Benjamin-Alexandre Jeanroy is CEO of Augur Associates and Aurélien Bernard is founder of Newsweed. At Cannabis Europa they will run an exclusive roundtable dedicated to the French medical cannabis market (Discount for our readers with the Code „KRAUTINVEST10“. Readers can also stay informed by subscribing to receive their latest report: The State of the Medical Cannabis Industry in France – 2025.
Disclaimer: Bylines by external contributors must not reflect the opinion of the editorial team. If you want to contribute as an external expert please reach out to redaktion@krautinvest.de.