'Grotesque Crackdown' On Hemp In Italy Puts 11K Jobs At Risk, Experts Cite EU Law Violations

Italian lawmakers are proceeding with the fight against all forms of hemp. On July 31, the joint Constitutional Affairs and Justice committees of the Chamber voted to add an amendment prohibiting cannabis flowers of all types to the Security Bill. If the amendment passes into law, it would classify all cannabis and hemp flowers as narcotics regardless of THC content, writes Business of Cannabis.

The proposal was first introduced in June, aiming to ban hemp flowers from "import, processing, possession, transfer, distribution, trade, transport, dispatch, delivery, sale to the public and for consumption, even in semi-finished, dried or shredded form." This would effectively ban the entire flower head of a plant, including stems, stalks and flowers.

At the time, the leading trade group Federcanapa called the proposal a “grotesque crackdown.” Now, the effort is moving forward.

In addition to industry experts, the bill is also facing strong opposition from the center-left, writes Corriere, according to the translation.  

"In the darkness of night, this majority carries out reckless actions to impose a law contrary to EU directives,” said Senator Gisella Naturale of the Movimento 5 Stelle (Five Star Movement or M5S).

Read Also: Marijuana And Hemp Around The Globe: Spanish Scientists’ THC Detection Method, New Zealand’s Medical Marijuana Exports, Thailand Update & More

Affected Sectors: 11K Jobs On The Chopping Block

Riccardo Magi, a secretary of More Europe said, "The government, driven by ideological fury, is killing the ‘cannabis light’ sector, eliminating 11,000 jobs and mistakenly believing it is fighting drugs."

Industry professionals expressed concern that the proposal would not only eliminate "cannabis light" sectors but would also criminalize all industrial hemp, potentially jeopardizing 11,000 jobs.

Cannabis expert and attorney Giacomo Bulleri stressed that the proposal would negatively affect the entire supply chain.

"Despite the opposition of all national agricultural associations, and not only those of hemp, which were united in condemning the measure that is illogical from both a legal and scientific point of view, it happens that for the ideological will to limit this plant, the entire supply chain is blocked, prohibiting the production and processing of the flower – and it is impossible, even for those who make fiber, to prevent the plant from flowering – stopping an entire agricultural sector and free enterprise, " Bulleri told L'Independente.

Violation Of EU Law?

Cannabis trade groups, including Canapa Sativa Italia (CSI) and Federcanapa sent a letter to the European Commission contesting the amendment, arguing it may "violate European Union law on free competition and the free movement of goods." The groups said the sector employs more than 15,000 workers and has a turnover of 500 million euros ($546M).

“Our complaint is not just about being right, but about ensuring that regulation is conducted seriously and inclusively,” stated Dr. Mattia Cusani, president of CSI. “We want decisions to be made without ideological bias, but with stakeholder participation and respect for public health.”

The bill is scheduled for discussion in the Chamber in the fall, and to become a law it must be approved by both the Chamber and Senate.

Read Next:

• Germany’s Cannabis Clubs Face Setbacks Amid Reg Hurdles, Christian Democrat Leader Wants To Reverse Marijuana Law

Photo: Courtesy of 24K-Production via Shutterstock