As an activist, Ghehiouèche started as coordinator of Info Birmanie (Info Burma) between 1993 and 2006[5] where he authored articles and books on the human rights situation in
Myanmar,[6] protesting in particular
forced labour by the French
oil companyTotal in the country.[7] In parallel, he became active member of the
French Green party, and was the party's coordinator on drug policies between 1998 and 2008.[8]
Ghehiouèche also participated alongside
Michel Sitbon in editing and printing houses Éditions du Lézard and Éditions Trouble-Fête and the associated Lady Long Solo library in
Paris'
11th district, that he described as "a place of emulation where projects and ideas come together."[9] He was later involved in launching
FAAAT's editions.[10]
Electoral campaigns
In March 2008, Ghehiouèche ran for
Mayor of
Chalon-sur-Saône under the list "Chalon oxygene–liste verte et ouverte" for the
Green party, obtaining 436 votes (2.61%).[11]
After leaving the Green party in 2008, Ghehiouèche ran as candidate in several
French and
European elections, most often under his political platform
Cannabis Without Borders (Cannabis sans frontières or CSF):
In
2012, he ran under the banner "FARID: Force Autonome de Résistance par l'Imagination et la Démocratie" (Force of Autonomous Resistance for Imagination and Democracy),[14] obtaining 187 votes (0.42%) in
Essonne's 8th constituency;
In
2015, Ghehiouèche ran in the
Île-de-France region[16] as part of the list Fédération libertaire unitaire ouverte (FLUO) grouping the French Pirate Party, Cannabis without Borders, and other groups. The list obtained 797 votes (0.22%) in the
Essonne department, where Ghehiouèche was running, and a total of 9,593 votes (0.3%) in the region.
Public figure
In France, Ghehiouèche is known as a controversial public figure, often performing with cannabis plants or joints in public events or in television to generate public debate and controversy.[17] As organizer of the
Global Marijuana March in
Paris since 2001, he has often been in confrontation with
French authorities about the organization of this event due to a provision in
French law (Article L. 3421-1 of the public health code) banning positive speech related to
narcotic drugs, stating that the "provocation to commit the offence [of cannabis use], even if such provocation has not been followed up, or the fact of presenting these offences in a favorable light, shall be punishable by five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros"[18]
Ghehiouèche has been defending the Spanish model of
cannabis social clubs in the media,[19] at the
French National Assembly and
Senate, and at the UN[20] on several occasions. Since 2023, he has been member of the Drugs Advisory Committee of the
ANSM, the French Medicines Agency.
Publications
Ghehiouèche co-authored several policy reports,[21] scholarly papers,[22] and books.[23]
^Ghehiouèche, Farid (2004).
"La drogue et les verts" [Drugs and the Green party]. Communication, politique et société (Le cadrage politique de la drogue : autour de Howard S. Becker): 119–122.
ISBN978-2-915584-00-4.
^Cannabis & sustainable development: paving the way for the next decade in cannabis and hemp policies recommendations for the implementation of cannabis policies aligned with international human rights standards, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the 2016 UNGASS outcome document (3e éd augmentée ed.). Vienna: FAAAT éditions. 2019.
ISBN979-10-97087-34-0.