Italy’s burgeoning “cannabis light” industry faces a major setback with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's conservative government advancing legislation to ban hemp flowers, an essential component for CBD products.
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This measure aims to clarify a 2016 law that allowed hemp cultivation for industrial and non-psychoactive uses but left ambiguity about the legality of the hemp flower, widely used for its CBD content.
Meloni’s administration argues the new restrictions are necessary for public safety, equating CBD flower products with recreational drugs. This stance has drawn criticism from industry stakeholders, who emphasize that hemp flowers contain negligible THC and are cultivated for relaxation and pain relief, not psychoactive effects. Critics like Andrea Crisanti, a virologist and Democratic Party senator, dismiss the ban as scientifically unfounded and economically damaging, particularly given the industry’s reported €500 million annual revenue and 10,000 full-time employees.
About 70%-80% of Italy’s hemp income derives from flower products, essential for producing CBD oil and other derivatives used in food, cosmetics, and textiles. The proposed ban has been approved by Italy's lower house and awaits a final Senate vote, threatening to disrupt the livelihood of nearly 3,000 businesses. If passed, this measure would position Italy out of step with other EU nations, many of which have embraced or expanded cannabis markets, such as Germany, France, and Switzerland.
For entrepreneurs like Silvio Saraceni, whose store in Rome’s Garbatella neighborhood depends heavily on flower sales, the government’s push represents “economic suicide” for an industry that Italy itself helped cultivate. Industry leaders warn the legislation would stifle domestic business growth and undermine the country’s hemp sector, with some calling for policy reconsideration to support, rather than limit, sustainable CBD commerce in Italy.
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