Italy Motions to Legalize Cannabis, Though Most of Europe Falls Behind

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n Monday,
representatives from Italy signed a bid to potentially legalize cannabis
throughout the country. The proposal was created by Sen. Benedetto Della
Vedova, and has since garnered the support of 60 officials, according to ANSA news. Vedova has been a longtime
supporter of Italy’s leftist Radical Party, which has been campaigning for
medicinal cannabis legalization since the 1970s.

“It is a bipartisan
proposition from members of the parliament of different political backgrounds,”
Della Vedova stated. Adding, “This shows that even in Italy, a pragmatic
approach, based on a rigorous cost-benefit analysis, is now increasingly
popular in the political and cultural debate, not only outside but also inside
the parliament.”

Cannabis remains
prohibited for medical or recreational use in Italy, however it is
decriminalized. Even a small amount of cannabis is considered a misdemeanor
according to Italian law. Lawbreakers run the risk of getting their licenses or
passports suspended and facing hefty fines–those caught growing cannabis face
imprisonment.

In February of last
year, Italy upturned a 2006 law under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi–which pigeonholed
cannabis in the same category as cocaine and heroin–after human rights groups
protested the country’s expanding incarceration rate.

In December, the
northwestern city of Turin voted to legalize medical cannabis–the first of any
major municipality. The decision did not make much of a difference, only allowing
for some patients to access cannabis easier while distribution remains banned.

Cannabis is largely
restricted in Europe, but some nations are moving towards more liberalization
of the plant. The Czech Republic passed a law legalizing medical cannabis in 2013,
but patients complain they have troubles obtaining it. That same year, France
passed a bill permitting some TCH-derived drugs to be retailed. Recently, Spain
decriminalized cannabis possession, spurring a web of illegal underground
cannabis clubs. The Netherlands is the only place in Europe with fully
legalized cannabis.