Marseille, France

Smoking tolerance level [1= very illegal 5=virtually legal]: 2.5

Legislation:

1. Law= all drugs very illegal, 10 years for any ammount of any drug

2. executive clarification of law = fine with threat of 1 year.

3. Judges rule that “sick cannot be sent to jail” and that drug users are “sick”

4. drug users who arrive in court can ask to be deverted to treatment

5. roughly 19 out of 20 people sent to treatement for cannabis are told after their evaluation by a pschiatrist (this happens before you spend any time in treatment or counceling) that they are normal well adusted folks who happen to use a plant that happens to be forbidden

6. police lose interst in small cannabis busts and are told not to waste money on it

7. reactionary govt. arrives (Sarkozy) says to crack down

8. pschiatrists still insist that most cannabis users are normal folks

9. judges complain about wasting time on small cannabis cases

10. cops told by many local officials to not waste money on cannabis

However, Marijuana and Hashish and any related action (buying, selling, growing, smoking), are a criminal offence imposing a penalty of two months to one year in jail in addition to a fine of 56 EUR to 1680 EUR.

Law enforcement: The police you have to worry about are the “douaniers” the border partrol that operates wherever they want in France. They have their own laws though, instead of the threat of jail they threaten you with a fine for 20 grams or less. The “gendarmes” and the local police do not have the right to search for no reason like the douaniers but they may write you up or even take you in if you are unlucky. Judges give you the option of talking to an addiction speacialist and 95% of the time they report that you are just a casual normal person who happens to use cannabis and that is the end of it.

If you have a small amount most likely they will just take it away from you. i have smoked hash throughout the city in the streets and people dont care(as long as there not cops).

Where to buy marijuana: In the ghettos. I have personally never had any problem getting robbed in Marseille. I got ripped off once and threatened with an ass beating in Frיjus (a smaller city an hour and a half away) but in Marseille it’s set up for business. The organisations do not want their clients getting robbed and all in all you are very safe (the organizations usually have security and lookouts posted). deals are usually done inside stairwells (the folks outside tell you which stairwell to go in. There is usually a line of folks waiting, folks of all ages and classes, do not be afraid to go into the building. They make so much money selling hash that they have no interest robbing you, and they have so much security they are not afraid to pull out thousands of euros when you ask if they have change for a 50.

Look for the middle eastern people they usually just standin around and you can get some. I think is you dont speak french your screwed.

Marijuana prices: “commercial” in french like in english also known as shit is 20 euros for 10 to 15 grams. It is cut with something but usually not the worst soapbar. Hard brittle hash for the most part.

“Moroccan” 50 euros for 5 to 6 grams of good easily bendable hash that you can break up with just the heat of your fingers. If its cut with something I never tasted it. Seems to be second shake hash though, no chemical taste, smoke a tiny bit and you are blasted. (but not stuck to the floor like when you get top quality in northern africa).

Marijuana brands: afgani hash, morrocan hash

More information: People smoke in the street all over in France, in small towns and in big cities. In the south of France this is ever more prevelant as the weather is nicer and people are outside more often.

In the south the outdoor weed is as good as any from California but only around for 2 months of the year.

In the north indoor grown is more and more popular.

But hash is still easiest to get in most places.