Cocaine overtakes cannabis as France's most lucrative illicit drug

Cocaine overtook cannabis to become France's most lucrative illicit drug market in 2023, generating €3.1 billion in sales as usage tripled over the past decade, according to a study published Monday by France's drug observatory.

The illicit drugs market in France reached €6.8 billion in 2023, nearly three times the €2.3 billion recorded in 2010, according to research by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies and funded by the government's Interministerial Mission to Combat Drugs and Addictive Behaviour.

Cannabis generated €2.7 billion in 2023, making cocaine the top revenue-generating illicit drug for the first time despite far lower consumption volumes. France sold 47.1 tonnes of cocaine in 2023 compared with 397.4 tonnes of cannabis.

The study was carried out by Christian Ben Lakhdar and Sophie Massin, professors at the University of Lille.

Cocaine's market dominance comes as prices have fallen to historic lows. A gram of cocaine cost €66 in 2023, down from €85 at the 2016 peak, according to the observatory. The number of cocaine users has tripled in 10 years, Ben Lakhdar said.

Changed profile of drug users

The falling prices stem from increased production in South America, according to the study. Lower prices have changed the profile of cocaine users in France.

"Ten years ago, cocaine users would have been mainly Parisian, but today, in the workplace, we have a whole range of occupations that are affected, from manual workers to professionals," said Nicolas Prisse, chairman of the Interministerial Mission to Combat Drugs and Addictive Behaviour.

The observatory's annual report on the TREND system, published a week earlier, said "the diversification of the profiles of cocaine-based users turning to addiction services is a notable feature of the investigations carried out in 2024."

"Many of those involved, whose facilities are located in cities as well as smaller towns, are seeing more socially and economically integrated people, sometimes in couples with children," the report said.

Cannabis remains France's most widely used illicit drug, but consumption among young people has declined. The market is sustained by a growing proportion of regular users who are increasingly approaching daily use, according to the study.

Psychostimulants up sharply

The ecstasy and MDMA market grew 480% between 2010 and 2023. France consumed an estimated 65.6 million tablets in 2023, compared with 11.3 million in 2010.

The market recorded "the strongest increase of all drugs in terms of value, with 637% growth between 2010 and 2023," the report said.

Total volumes of illicit substances purchased in France rose from 247 tonnes in 2010 to 463 tonnes in 2023. Cocaine volumes increased 244.6% while cannabis rose 144.8%.

Drug dealers' use of instant messaging applications including Snapchat, Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal has driven the increase, as has increased productivity by traffickers in growing and processing substances, according to officials.

"Today, we have cocaine of 100% purity, criminal groups that have no hesitation in taking over every nook and cranny of our territory, and digital tools that help with transactions," Prisse told RTL radio.

"This massive supply has now met with demand from consumers who have changed a great deal over the last decade."