France’s long-awaited medical cannabis framework is finally taking shape after a four-year campaign. The government has submitted three documents to the European Union for approval, marking a significant step in legalizing a regulated system for medical cannabis. This announcement comes after a tumultuous period in French politics, which delayed many legislative actions, including this one.
Just weeks ago, thousands of patients involved in France’s medical cannabis experiment, which started in 2021, were told to seek alternative treatments. However, the new proposals indicate that cannabis flower may now be available to patients, but only in single-use doses and through specific devices.
On March 19, 2025, the three documents detailing the legalization process were sent to the EU. These decrees define the framework for regulating cannabis-based medicines. They had been set to be submitted in mid-2024 but were delayed due to the collapse of the French government. According to the EU’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS), these documents include essential technical details and standards, paving the way for what could become one of Europe’s largest medical cannabis markets.
Benjamin Alexandre-Jeanroy, CEO and co-founder of Paris-based consultancy Augur Associates, mentioned that they are now waiting for the final bureaucratic steps to be completed. He noted that the government will sign the decrees once they receive EU approval, which is typically a formality during weekly ministerial meetings.
Under the new framework, only trained and certified physicians will be allowed to prescribe medical cannabis. Training programs will be developed in consultation with the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS). Medical cannabis will remain a treatment of last resort, requiring patients to prove they have not benefited from other standard therapies.
Prescriptions will be available for specific conditions, including neuropathic pain, drug-resistant epilepsy, spasticity related to multiple sclerosis, and side effects from chemotherapy, as well as in palliative care situations. While these conditions are consistent with earlier proposals, the inclusion of cannabis flower represents a notable shift that may attract more businesses to the market.
However, patients will not be allowed to smoke the flower through traditional means; instead, they must use certified dry herb vaporization devices. The flower must also meet the stringent Ph. Eur. 3028 monograph standards and be presented as a finished product. Additionally, the framework will explore other formulations, including oral and sublingual options, in three different ratio profiles: THC-dominant, balanced, and CBD-dominant.
Importantly, the Ministry of Health has confirmed that the 1,600 patients currently participating in the ongoing medical cannabis experiment will continue to have access to their medicine until at least March 31, 2026. By that time, the government expects the comprehensive framework to be fully operational.
