Only 47% of cannabis users are opposed to it, compared to 77% of experimenters and 91% of non-experimenters. The survey underlines a change in the opinion of the French in terms of cannabis since only 30% of consumers were opposed to it in 2002.
The survey reveals that 70% of those questioned are also against authorizing the use of cannabis under certain conditions, and only 31% believe that the ban on cannabis is an infringement of individual freedom.
In addition, 62% of French people declared that the consumption of cannabis was dangerous for health from the experiment in 2008, against 52% in 2002 and 53% in 1999. The perception of the French has also evolved towards a greater apprehension to with regard to tobacco (43% believe that tobacco is dangerous from the experiment in 2008, against 25% in 2002 and 21% in 1999), and alcohol (10% in 2008, against 5% in 2002) .
Another lesson from the survey is that nearly 9 in 10 French people (89%) are in favor of compulsory care for all drug users and 81% are in favor of cannabis smokers. Similarly, 74% of those questioned are in favor of prescribing substitute products and 72% would like drug users to be informed about the least dangerous way to consume.
Most French people agree that alcohol and tobacco should be prohibited for minors (90% for alcohol, against 72% for tobacco). In addition, 92% of respondents are in favor of banning the sale of tobacco to under 16s and 84% of banning smoking in bars.
In addition, more than half of French people (54%) believe that tobacco poses more problems to society than the use of illicit drugs. On the other hand, only 48% of those questioned are in favor of increasing tobacco-related taxes and 32% consider that tobacco should be completely banned for sale.
These results come from the third part (2008) of the EROPP survey on representations, opinions and perceptions of psychotropic drugs.
