the mayor of Strasbourg proposes “a local experiment through pragmatism”

Jeanne Barseghian “asks that we look at things head on without their dogma”. The councilor notes that the results of the “very repressive” policy are “not satisfactory from a public health point of view”.

The mayor of Strasbourg, Jeanne Barseghian proposes on Tuesday April 2 on franceinfo “out of pragmatism” “test a local experiment” in his city on the use of cannabis. Since Monday, Germany has authorized the highly regulated use of cannabis, becoming the largest country in the European Union to legalize this substance. A reform which raises as many expectations as fears.

“My proposal, out of pragmatism, is to be able to test a local experiment on the territory of the city of Strasbourg which borders Germany to make it possible to apply all or part of the measures which apply in Germany”, she explained. “The German law which has just come into force is very regulated. So it will limit or prohibit a form of recreational tourism“, she added.

A common basin with “two diametrically opposed regulations”

The proximity of the city of Strasbourg to Germany requires a certain form of realism, according to her: “It is indeed a cross-border basin. It is a common living basin where flows are daily. There are thousands of people who transit on both sides of the Rhine every day. There are also 3,000 French people who live in Kehl, the neighboring German town. So it is first of all an experiment that I am asking for on a pragmatic basis.”

On the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty in 2019, France and Germany signed a new cooperation and integration treaty in Aachen. In particular, it provides for joint experiments. “I cannot decide it myself at the local level, but I would like to initiate this reflection with the French State and the Regional Health Agency,” explained Jeanne Barseghian.

France is one of the most consuming countries despite the “very safe” policy

The trend is not towards legalization in France while the government is increasing “XXL net square” operations in neighborhoods to fight against cannabis trafficking. Operations have also “launched early” Tuesday morning in Toulouse, Strasbourg and Nantes, announces Gérald Darmanin on X.

“We have a logic which is very repressive today, but with results from a public health point of view which are not satisfactory since France is one of the most consuming countries in Europe, despite this very safe”, she points out.

Jeanne Barseghian underlines that the municipality of Strasbourg has “rather a logic of reducing addictions. We are a pioneer city in terms of supporting people in situations of addiction” especially for hard drugs.

“Today, repressive policy generates delinquency, black markets and above all very high unregulated consumption, which is a real public health problem.”

Jeanne Barseghian, mayor of Strasbourg

at franceinfo

“I ask that we look things in the face without our dogma and that we can observe what has just been put forward in Germany in order to be able to test it on a small scale” in France, continues the elected official. “It’s a real social debate and it’s quite strange when you live in a shared living area to have two such diametrically opposed regulations apply.”concluded the mayor of Strasbourg.