While the experimentation with therapeutic cannabis ended on December 31, 2024, the new Minister of Health Yannick Neuder wants to “study” this path for people suffering from painful pathologies and who do not have a treatment that relieves them. .
- The experimentation with cannabis for therapeutic purposes ended on December 31, 2024. Patients already included in the system will be able to continue to benefit from the treatment until June 30.
- The Minister of Health, Yannick Neuder declared “that we must study this route of therapeutic cannabis because it covers a field of intractable pain which is often not relieved by other medications”.
- On the other hand, he is “still against recreational cannabis”.
It all started on March 26, 2021. On this date, experimentation with the therapeutic use of cannabis began. As part of this, the use of medications based on this plant is authorized for adults suffering from neuropathic pain refractory to accessible therapies (drug or not), certain forms of drug-resistant epilepsy, certain rebellious symptoms in oncology linked to cancer or anti-cancer treatment. Three years later, the experiment was supposed to end, but ultimately it was extended “until a cannabis-based medicine is authorized and available, and at the latest until December 31, 2024”, indicates the government on his website. According to the authorities, this extension ensures continuity of treatment, reimbursed by Health Insurance, for patients already included in the system, but no new patient can benefit from cannabis-based medicines.
The “therapeutic cannabis route covers a field of rebellious pain”
This Tuesday, December 31, 2024, the experiment ended for the second time. For the moment, no decision has been taken by the executive. However, patients currently in the experiment will be able, until June 30, “continue to take it while waiting to reorganize, consult to find out if we are creating a network around this new source of medication”, declared the Minister of Health, Yannick Neuder. During a visit to the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris on January 1, the cardiologist discussed the continuation of the experiment. “I think we need to study this route of therapeutic cannabis because it covers a range of intractable pain that is often not relieved by other medications,” as in “cancer, stiffness, facial pain. On the other hand, the LR deputy for Isère reported being “still against recreational cannabis”.
“Dry January”: alcohol responsible for 49,000 deaths per year
During this visit, he specified that he had started “Dry January”, which consists of not drinking alcohol from January 1 until the end of the month. As a reminder, alcohol consumption represents a major public health issue in France, as it causes 49,000 deaths per year. In fact, these drinks increase the risk of developing certain cancers (mouth, throat, esophagus, colon-rectum, breast in women). Alcohol is also a risk factor for certain chronic pathologies (liver diseases – cirrhosis – and pancreas, cardiovascular disorders, high blood pressure, diseases of the nervous system and psychological disorders – anxiety, depression, behavioral disorders – early dementia, etc.) .
