Credits: Ex13 / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0.
Andy Kerbrat, a member of parliament for La France Insoumise (LFI), made headlines in October 2024 after being detained for buying 3-MMC from a minor. Far from being just a simple news item, this episode opens up an essential reflection on drug policy in France and the contradictions of a punitive system facing a major public health reality. Here is a look back at the career of an activist turned lawmaker, his political battles, and the symbolic significance of this case.
A Youth Dedicated To LGBT Rights
Originally from Nantes, Andy Kerbrat grew up in a family committed to education and public service. As a teenager, he came out publicly as gay and began campaigning for LGBT rights at age 15. This personal struggle quickly became a collective commitment: he advocated for the creation of support services for young people questioning their identity and campaigned for a more inclusive society.
From The Workforce To Union Activism
After earning a baccalauréat in theater arts, Andy Kerbrat worked a series of precarious jobs, from roadside assistance agent to theater usher. Faced with the harsh job market, he became involved in union activism in 2014 with the CGT and sat on the CHSCT, defending workers’ rights in often difficult contexts.
He joined La France Insoumise in 2016, drawn by the movement’s environmental and social proposals. At the same time, he worked with the Movement for Popular and Social Ecology (PEPS), becoming a figure in local activism.
A Rapid Political Rise
His first electoral experience dates back to the 2020 municipal elections in Nantes, where he ran on the left-wing “Nantes in Common” list. In 2022, under the LFI–NUPES label, he won Loire-Atlantique’s 2nd constituency against the incumbent member of parliament. He quickly established himself as an active lawmaker, especially on issues such as pension reform, the minimum wage increase, and LGBT rights.
Reelected in the first round in 2024, Andy Kerbrat nevertheless saw his career disrupted by a high-profile legal case linked to the use of 3-MMC.
Detention And Initial Reactions
On October 17, 2024, Andy Kerbrat was detained in Paris while buying 1.35 grams of 3-MMC from a 14-year-old. Held in police custody, he acknowledged using this synthetic drug, which is used in party or sexual settings.
He also admitted to using part of his parliamentary allowances to fund his consumption before repaying the amounts involved. He faces a €1,875 fine, but what really made an impression was the media frenzy.
A Contrasting Media Treatment
The media seized on the case, often in an overblown tone: “Member of Parliament Caught Red-Handed Buying Narcotics,” some newspapers headlined. The Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, called for his resignation, as did several right-wing elected officials.
At the same time, voices rose to denounce selective outrage. Why such harshness toward Andy Kerbrat, when other elected officials implicated in tax fraud or abuse of power receive far more lenient media treatment?
Addiction: A Public Health Issue, Not A Moral Crime
- The WHO has long recognized addiction as an illness requiring appropriate medical and psychological treatment.
- In France, drug use affects all social groups, including political and cultural elites.
- Stigmatizing users only perpetuates collective hypocrisy, discouraging people with addictions from seeking help.
An Outdated French Policy
- France ranks among the most punitive European countries on drugs while also being one of the biggest consumers. This contradiction raises questions about the effectiveness of current policies.
- Several countries, such as Portugal and Canada, have chosen partial decriminalization or a prevention-centered approach, with proven results in harm reduction.
Exemplary Conduct In Politics: A Mixed Expectation
- The standard of exemplary conduct expected from elected officials is legitimate, but it cannot be reduced to flawless perfection.
- Acknowledging one’s mistakes and committing to do better is sometimes more exemplary than hiding them.
- Turning Andy Kerbrat into a scapegoat amounts to sidestepping the real issue: the need for an honest debate about drug use in France.
Toward A Calm National Debate
The Andy Kerbrat case is a unique opportunity to ask the right questions: how can people with addictions be better supported? How can we move beyond an ineffective punitive logic?
Instead of rushing to condemn, it is time to begin a collective reflection on harm reduction, prevention, and care. Many experts are calling for an evolution of the legal framework, which would better protect citizens while reducing the negative consequences of repression.
The career of this committed lawmaker shows that a setback can also become a springboard for defending a more humane and coherent policy. Andy Kerbrat could thus, paradoxically, become a spokesperson for harm reduction in the National Assembly.
From A Personal Case To A Matter Of General Interest
In 2025, continuing to view addiction as a simple moral failing makes no sense. The Kerbrat case reminds us that drug use cuts across all layers of society. Rather than stigmatizing, we should turn it into an opportunity for a constructive debate on the future of public health policy.
The goal is not to downplay the alleged facts, but to place them in a broader perspective. Harm reduction, prevention, and strengthened therapeutic support are essential paths out of the current impasse.
Faced with an addiction crisis that affects millions of French people more than ever, Parliament could become the epicenter of an ambitious reform. And Andy Kerbrat, drawing on his personal experience, could be one of its main players after his recovery.