Both repression and prevention are necessary

GAng wars in more and more cities, repeated shootings that killed younger and younger teenagers, drug traffickers with increasing financial power and influence who even operated from their prison cells… There is little doubt that France, like other European countries He too is battling the scourge of drugs on an unprecedented scale. Criminal groups are thriving in an illegal market estimated at over €3.5 billion, posing an ever-increasing threat to the lives of entire neighborhoods, public health and even democracy.

The asymmetrical and unequal battle between drug traffickers willing to do anything and a constitutional democracy requires the strengthening and adaptation of institutions and procedures. The announcements made by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Didier Migaud on Friday November 8th in Marseille are a step in this direction: the creation of a “national prosecutor’s office” to combat organized crime, which will be subordinate to criminal courts specially composed exclusively of judges To avoid pressure on the jury. The system will also be improved for criminals who are willing to cooperate with the justice system. Both procedures are among the logical proposals based on a Senate bill based on a Commission of Inquiry report published in May, as well as on the work of former Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti.

However, there are some gray areas in this legislative measure, which is due to be reviewed by Parliament in 2025, particularly regarding the exact scope of the new prosecutor and the expansion of the current anti-drug authority. As for the emergency measures announced on Friday, they remain vague, both in terms of the reinforcement of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, to which a “coordination unit” will be attached, and the resources allocated to it Deciphering the phone calls of prisoners at the “higher end” of the criminal spectrum who would be assigned to special prison housing.

Concrete need for action

But the bellicose language with which the two ministers demonstrate their willingness to “unite” beyond their political differences cannot cover up the blind spots in their announcements. Significantly, the Minister of Health was not consulted. Information about addiction, risk reduction for drug users, and care for people addicted to drugs are some examples of these blind spots.

It is essential to combat trafficking in illicit substances and put pressure on the supply of illicit substances. However, they can only be effective if they are accompanied by strong, on-demand measures and without a debate informed by other countries about the benefits and risks of partial decriminalization. At a time when consumption is becoming commonplace in many circles, from the most disadvantaged to the most privileged, authorities should also strive to develop and disseminate a counter-narrative to social advancement through human trafficking.

As a truly “national cause,” the fight against drug trafficking requires France to create the conditions, if not for a consensus, then at least for a political majority. This requires not only the addition of a strong preventative component, but also for the government to distance itself from the Home Secretary’s constant conflation of drugs and immigration.