Over the last decade, the French cannabis market has evolved cautiously, sometimes frustratingly so, while other parts of Europe have moved at varying speeds toward regulation, medical adoption, and industrial development.
As Germany took the lead in moving the European cannabis medicinal markets forward, France now finds itself at a critical juncture. A country with deep but loosening political resistance to cannabis reform and also enormous potential to shape the future of the industry, France is positioned particularly within the francophone world and the EU as a whole to have an outsized impact second only to Germany.
According to the French Health Department, as of 2022, 47% of adults had used cannabis at least once in their lifetime, and approximately 11% were considered regular or recent users, primarily through illicit or unregulated channels.
In this blog, we’ll examine the history of the French cannabis market and look toward what’s to come.
From Prohibition to Pilot Programs
In the early 2010s, France stood as one of the prohibitionist nations of Europe. While countries like the Netherlands, Czech, Spain, and more recently Germany opened varied regulated pathways for medical or recreational use, French policymakers largely resisted.
The launch of the French medical cannabis trial in 2021 marked a turning point. Though limited in scope, both in the number of patients and product access, it represented the first formal acknowledgment by the French state that cannabis could be used for therapeutic purposes. Yet, as Benjamin-Alexandr Jeanroy of Augur Associates explained on a recent GCNC WorldView podcast:
“The pilot was always more symbolic than structural. It showed willingness to explore medical cannabis, but the framework was so narrow that it often created more frustration than momentum.”
This approach has characterized much of France in the last decade, acknowledgment without full engagement but a willingness to continue to move forward.
Additionally, the way in which the pilot projects were established was more around how the framework would be structured to control use and prescriptions while keeping cannabis flower within the system outside of elicit channels.
While efficacy was generally accepted within the uses authorized due to outside research, the pilot program was also recently deemed successful within its intended scope.
“France is shaping up as one of the most promising cannabis markets in Europe, the first to combine real regulation with reimbursement, which sets it apart and creates the basis for strong, sustainable growth with high barriers to entry,” says Paul Long, CEO of Little Green Pharma and one of the pilot project participants since the start.
Long continued, “Regulators are determined to move things forward, and while the shifting timelines of the past four years have tested patience, once the roadmap opens up, France is poised to become one of the most dynamic and influential markets in Europe.”
The Emerging Medical Cannabis Market
Today, the French cannabis landscape will be a solid and structured pharmaceutical market with permissions around cannabis oils and flower as a start. Final decrees for the governmental program to move forward are waiting for signatures in September/October which will allow for the registration of products. Local experts feel as though we will see new medicinal cannabis products in the market by the end of Q1 2026.
It’s worth noting that there are currently only two companies headquartered in France ready to deliver cannabis medicines creating insufficient market supply. This leaves significant room for companies from other regions to work with local French partners in trying to gain early market share.
CBD products occupy a growing niche, though they remain subject to inconsistent enforcement. Patient access to medical cannabis continues under the trial framework but is shifting into the wider national program that can grow beyond the five current indications.
According to Aurélien Bernard, co-founder and marketing director at Augur Associates:
“The French market is not yet defined by commercial opportunity but by political positioning. For companies, this means patience and strategy are just as important as product or capital.”
Despite these limitations, France’s position as the EU’s second-largest economy gives it significant weight.
When France moves, its ripple effects are felt across Europe.
Patients, Physicians, & Progress
As of this year, according to Augur’s State of the Medical Cannabis Industry in France 2025, more than 3,200 patients had been enrolled in the pilot program, with around 1,849 still under treatment. The most common conditions were refractory neuropathic pain (1,100 patients), multiple sclerosis-related spasticity (270), and drug-resistant epilepsy (123).
Importantly, over 2,291 healthcare professionals, including 531 specialists, 213 GPs, and nearly 1,500 pharmacists, were trained to prescribe and dispense cannabis, reflecting a strong institutional investment in capacity-building.
The Medical Cannabis Program Launch
With the medical pilot program now considered a success, France is officially beginning its medical cannabis program. Progress will be deliberate, patient numbers will grow slowly at first, but momentum should increase as more prescriptions are written and the system becomes normalized.
According to Kristen Beury, President of Medical Resource Association and the Founder of Bordeaux’s Science in the City Conference, “Over the next 24 months, the greatest opportunity lies in bridging international expertise with France’s regulatory framework, particularly around extracts, patient access and physician education.”
One important distinction sets France apart from other European rollouts: the country invested early in training physicians before the full program launch. This proactive step means that one of the most common bottlenecks in new markets, finding doctors willing and prepared to prescribe, is far less of a barrier in France.
As Benjamin-Alexandr Jeanroy from Augur Associates noted, this gives France “a head start on patient access, because trust and expertise are already being built into the system.”
Patient feedback referenced in the Augur report further underscores the opportunity. A nationwide survey of pilot participants found that 68% reported benefits, with 32% noting significant improvement in health and quality of life. 93% of patients supported expanding access, even among those who had discontinued treatment. These results provide a strong foundation for public and political momentum.
By the middle of the decade, France’s position will be strongly influenced by developments in Germany and the wider EU. Should Germany succeed in building a workable regulated adult-use market, the political conversation in France will inevitably shift.
Supply Chain & Geopolitical Influence
Domestically, France faces pressing questions about how to stabilize supply chains and will require multinational partnerships. The pilot relied heavily on free products from international suppliers such as Aurora, Tilray, and Little Green Pharma. Shortages of CBD oils from several participants during the trial highlighted the urgency of building a domestic production framework.
This reveals that companies like Little Green Pharma, with the capacity to supply large portions of the market, can also create sufficient price points to effectively conduct ongoing and profitable business in the market.
Augur Associates emphasizes that France’s role may extend beyond its borders:
“France has a unique position to connect European policy with francophone Africa. That geopolitical bridge could become one of the most important aspects of the French cannabis market in the medium term.”
Equally important will be addressing administrative and accessibility barriers. France’s ReCann national tracking register, which monitors patient outcomes, has been praised by many for transparency and safety but other markets worldwide have had challenges scaling track and trace programs in ways that aren’t overly burdensome or costly for operators to sustain.
This does position France, however, to not only improve its own system but to influence EU-wide standards.
The Future of French Cannabis
Looking further ahead, the long-term vision for France involves full integration into global cannabis trade and potential leadership within Europe’s cannabis economy. With its agricultural history, pharmaceutical expertise, high acceptance rate at the individual level and overall cultural influence, France could play a defining role.
Projections suggest the French medical cannabis market could reach €806 million annually by 2035, serving more than 450,000 patients, up from just 5,400 in 2026. Such growth, even if back-end loaded, would create opportunities in agriculture, pharmaceutical research, logistics, and exports as early as Q3 2026, while also reducing dependence on opioids and generating savings for the public healthcare system.
The success of the post-pilot era depends on whether policymakers overcome the bottlenecks of the last decade. If they do, France may yet position itself as both a domestic hub and an international connector for francophone markets worldwide. This would establish France well as the go-to partner for emerging French speaking African markets.
France’s cannabis market is a case study in contrast: immense potential constrained by political caution built within a pragmatic yet effective pharmaceutical framework. The coming years will determine whether France continues to lag or begins to lead. As Benjamin-Alexandr Jeanroy noted, the real opportunity lies not only in market access but in France’s ability to “set standards that influence far beyond its borders.”
The next decade will be the one where France moves from symbolic gestures to substantive leadership in cannabis.
Chris Day is the Founder of Project Evolve and Co-Founder of the Global Cannabis Network Collective (GCNC), where he builds executive networks and strategies to accelerate cross-border collaboration with an emphasis on marketing and communications within the cannabis and adjacent industries. With extensive experience leading international consulting teams and shaping executive communities, Day is recognized for his work advancing market entry, brand strategy, and deal flow across emerging markets worldwide.
Key Sources
- Augur Associates & Newsweed (2025). State of the Medical Cannabis Industry in France 2025.
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- Patient enrollment data and healthcare professional training
- Patient survey (ViaVoice Institute, 2022) results
- Supply chain and supplier companies
- ReCann tracking register
- Economic projections by Prohibition Partners
- Government & ANSM Reports (2022–2023). Interim evaluations of the French pilot confirming feasibility and safety
- IQVIA (2022). Independent analysis of patient outcomes and prescribing patterns
