The low-risk drug consumption rooms in Paris and Strasbourg, opened in 2016, face closure on December 31 without an extension vote. Their fate hinges on a government amendment to the social security budget under debate in the National Assembly. Caregivers highlight the proven effectiveness of these facilities.
Dr. Elisabeth Avril, who has championed the Paris 'halte soins addictions' project since before its 2016 opening, voices her weariness over an endless debate. 'What more is needed to secure permanent funding for the room?' she asks during the Paris facility's opening on Thursday, November 6, 2025.
Paris and Strasbourg are France's only two cities hosting these low-risk drug consumption rooms, operating under an experimental regime for nine years. Without legislative action by year's end, they could close on December 31.
The facilities' future depends on a government amendment to the social security financing bill, currently under debate in the National Assembly. The amendment suggests not full permanence but an extension of the experiment until December 31, 2027. Yet, it relies on the overall fate of the bill, which faces a chaotic parliamentary path akin to the budget's.
Elisabeth Avril notes that all evidence of efficacy has been provided. In a Le Monde op-ed published Thursday, a group of caregivers states: 'These places are the most effective and humane response to street drug use. All evaluations confirm it: scientifically, socially, concretely, it works.' These assessments underscore the value of the 'haltes soins addictions' (HSA) in mitigating drug-related risks.