Market for cocaine in France now worth more than cannabis

The value of cocaine sold in France now outstrips that of cannabis according to the latest report from the country’s Observatoire français des drogues et des tendances addictives (OFDT) agency.

The market for illegal drugs was estimated to total €6.8 billion in 2023, the latest year used by the OFDT for the study. In 2010, it was €2.3 billion.

Cannabis and cocaine dominated the market, accounting for 90% of the total transactions.

For the first time, the OFDT confirmed what police sources have long suspected – the value of cocaine sold in France is greater than the value of cannabis sold in the country.

Its estimates are that cocaine worth €3.1 billion is sold in the country on average each year, compared with €2.7 billion worth of cannabis.

The volume of cocaine at an estimated 47 tonnes, smaller than the 397 tonnes of cannabis sold each year however.

Issue of public safety

“The spectacular progression of the cocaine market is causing strain on public safety, the courts, health professionals and all our regions,” said Dr Nicolas Prisse, the president of the MILDECA joint ministry task force against illegal drugs.

“It underlines the necessity of public action to tackle both the demand for, and supply of illegal drugs.”

Other synthetic drugs, like ecstasy/MDMA have also seen the value of their sales grow by 637% since 2010 and illegal amphetamines saw a market growth of 470% over the same period.

“Multiple dynamics have driven the evolution of the market, including price and purity of drug changes, a diversification of situations where drugs are consumed and an intensification of international fluxes for drugs and sales strategies that are more sophisticated,” the OFDT report states.

“The rise in the sales figures for illegal drugs, does not just reflect a rise in the amount of drugs consumed, but also a change in supply, marked by a bigger place being given to more profitable drugs, like cocaine.”

An estimated 1.1 million people took cocaine at least once in 2023, according to the report.

In an earlier report, the OFDT said the price of cocaine was now around €66 a gram, and that of cannabis around €8 a gram.

New mafia potentially behind growth

The changes in the market for drugs, especially the reported growth of a gang called DZ Mafia, which has established outlets in medium-sized cities across France, was a concern for politicians and media in France for most of 2025.

DZ Mafia has been blamed for numerous murders of rivals and for establishing a system where drug deal points are out in the open, with residents too intimidated to do anything about them.

Some suspect them too of using networks of shops to launder the money they make from drugs, including tattoo parlours being set up in small towns and villages

The tattoo parlours, usually set up by newcomers to the towns and villages, hardly ever seem to have customers in them, but report high sales to the tax authorities.

The OFDT published a separate report on drug use of 16 year olds, which showed there has been a spectacular drop in the use of cannabis by young French people.

In 2015, 31% of 16 year olds had used cannabis, but in 2024, only 8.4% had.

For cocaine, 1.7% of 16 year olds said they had used it, 1.3% said they had tried amphetamines and 1.2% crack.

Drug use in France is now at record-high levels.