France Proposes Regulating Medical Cannabis Similar to Morphine
The president of the French cannabis association Santé-France Cannabis, Dr. Franz Deschamps, is advocating for the regulation of cannabis in France in a manner similar to morphine, which has long been used in medicine.
Medical Cannabis Proves Effective for Pain Relief
In 2021, France launched clinical trials of cannabis, with at least 3,000 participants to date. In April 2023, the government extended the experiment for another year, until March 2024. This means that for almost four more months, patients can continue treatment with medical cannabis, cannabis oil, and cannabinoid capsules.
Dr. Deschamps shared interim results from the research: “We have strong evidence that cannabis is particularly effective for neuropathic pain caused by infections, including herpes and HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart attacks, cancer, treatments such as radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy, as well as complex regional pain syndromes.”
Advocating for Prescription Access and Reimbursement
Given the high therapeutic potential of cannabis, Dr. Deschamps is lobbying for a program that would allow patients suffering from pain to receive cannabis prescriptions. He wants cannabinoid-based medications to be sold in pharmacies, with costs reimbursed to make these treatments widely accessible. Deschamps hopes the government will legalize medical cannabis in 2024.
Most Trial Participants Benefited from Cannabis
Deschamps highlighted the advantages of cannabis: “The effectiveness of cannabis is already proven, so we are now testing the practical aspects of prescribing and distributing medical cannabis in France. After three months of supervised cannabis use, 70% of patients experienced relief from unbearable pain. As a result, their quality of life improved significantly. Many were able to return to work and resume household activities. Unlike morphine-based drugs, cannabis did not cause addiction. Some moderate side effects, such as drowsiness and diarrhea, were observed, but we did not record any serious adverse effects.”
He also noted that, due to the lack of pronounced negative reactions to cannabis, patients did not need to take additional medications. In contrast, those treated with traditional painkillers are often prescribed extra drugs to manage side effects, leading to the use of multiple medications.
Deschamps is not concerned that officials have yet to legalize cannabis. He explains that cannabis is an entirely new medication for France, and developing regulations for its distribution may take considerable time.