French health authorities have extended a medical cannabis experiment until 31 July 2025, giving 1,800 patients more time to stop treatment or find alternatives.
Under the medical cannabis trial, rolled out in March 2021, patients suffering from serious pathologies were prescribed active cannabis-derived substances in the form of essential oils to be taken orally, or of cannabis flowers for vaping.
The experiement was due to end on 31 December 2024, but at a meeting on Thursday between patient associations and the health authorities, the Ministry of Health gave the green light for it to run for a further six months, FranceInfo reported.
The extension will be granted only "with a view to weaning patients off the drug or finding alternatives", the resigning Health Minister, Geneviève Darrieussecq, wrote in the letter enabling the decision.
Patients hopeful for France's medical cannabis experiment
Cannabis is banned in France, even for medical purposes, but patients associations have long been lobbying to get it cleared for use to relieve chronic pain.
At the time of the launch, doctor and pharmacologist Nicolas Authier told RFI the experiment was a "rather unique" way of administering medication.
But he said the experiment was necessary given there remained strong opposition in parliament to a change in the law, despite a growing majority of French people supporting its legalisation.
Medical cannabis is legal in 33 countries, with South American nations leading the way.
Uruguay was the first to legalise it and, along with the Netherlands, Canada and Israel, supplies much of the cannabis oil used in medical treatments.
