Business of Cannabis
France’s three-year medical cannabis pilot programme officially came to an end last week (March 26) as the scheme shifted into its ‘transition period’ ahead of full generalisation, which is set to be launched no later than January 01, 2025.
This transition period is designed to provide a ‘continuity of treatment’ for patients currently accessing free cannabis medicines through the pilot scheme, while allowing the government time to establish the details of what full generalisation will look like.
As Business of Cannabis reported last month, the French National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) confirmed that flowers will not be included in the generalised medical cannabis framework, forcing around 100 patients to move to an alternative treatment.
The move also came as a disappointment to many European cannabis businesses, which will be distinctly aware of the dominance of medical cannabis flowers in markets across Europe.
While many questions remain regarding what this permanent system will look like, more details of the incoming transition period are beginning to emerge.
The government released formal details regarding the conditions, pricing, and registered products of the transition period.
In the decree published on March 28 in the ‘Official Journal Laws and Decrees’, the pricing for the six available products ‘used during the transitional phase’ has been listed.
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