Is marijuana legal in Italy?

People who are planning to travel abroad often wonder what kind of adventures they may encounter. Some of them consider smoking marijuana. However, if you are planning a trip to Italy, it's worth considering whether this type of drug is legalized in that country. What are the legal regulations there? Europe has been open to changes regarding marijuana legalization for some time now. Many countries, including Thailand, have taken very serious steps in this direction. The Netherlands is also considering this decision. Germany and Malta have joined as well. But is marijuana recognized by law in Italy?

Is it possible to grow hemp in Italy?

Can we safely say that all possible formal steps related to the approval of marijuana in Italy have already been taken? At the end of last year, growing cannabis plants with a THC content higher than 0.6% was still considered a violation that ended in imprisonment. It is also important to note that two years ago in 2019, there was a lot of talk about a breakthrough associated with a decision by the Supreme Court that saw nothing wrong with growing marijuana at home for personal use. And although Italian supporters of the national movement in politics insisted that the verdict could somehow be reversed, nothing of that sort happened and it gave hope for looser regulations related to legal hemp plants in Italy.

Is marijuana legal in Italy?

Certainly, many people have wondered if it is possible to use marijuana in Italy. According to legal regulations, it can be used in medicine and industry. This country is not as tolerant as the Netherlands, but it does not have such restrictions as, for example, in Poland. If you have a small amount of marijuana only for your own use, it will be considered a minor offense, not a crime. In simpler terms, if someone is caught in the act, they will avoid imprisonment. However, they may still be required to pay a fine or have their driver's license or passport taken away. For now, discussions about the legalization of marijuana are still ongoing.

Referendum in Italy

There was a lot of talk about a referendum being a major event related to the approval of hemp plants in Italy. The initiative would be linked to legalizing marijuana in Italy, which would allow it to be grown, but only for personal use and related violations would be reduced. According to economic and trade calculations, legalizing marijuana in this country would be very beneficial. These benefits include the development of new jobs or the reactivation of agricultural land.

Supporters of the referendum managed to collect half a million signatures, showing that as many as fifty-seven percent of residents support legalizing hemp plants in Italy. According to the latest news from February of this year, it turned out that the Constitutional Court did not accept the proposal with votes that would bring them closer to legalization. The president's argument was that the referendum also concerned other psychoactive substances, treated as drugs, which should not be legal at all.

What about CBD?

In Italy, the rules associated with CBD oils are somewhat complicated. Only those with a THC level of no more than 0.6% have been approved. It is therefore unacceptable to smoke marijuana from this oil. How did this come about? It started with the fact that the trade in CBD buds began to be linked to the fact that the sale of some medicines decreased because patients began to decide on self-treatment based mainly on CBD.