The first official discussions on cannabis legalization began in the Italian Chamber of Deputies in May.

Supporters and opponents looked on as the bill was presented by an interparliamentary group.

The debate on cannabis legalization is finally open in Italy. Of the many draft bills that have been created on the topic existing on the topic, it is the one by Benedetto della Vedova that is under discussion by the Parliamentarian Commissions of Justice and Social Affairs.

Both opponents and supporters of this law spoke during the opening meeting, when experts shared their knowledge. Patrizio Gonnella, president of the Italian Coalition for Civil Rights and Liberties (CILD), spoke to highlight the need for cannabis legalization and express satisfaction that debate on the subject has finally begun.

A necessary reform

Indeed, there is a paradox in the current Italian law: the personal cultivation of cannabis is punished more harshly than sale on the black market. That is why the CILD insists it is necessary to legalize cultivation for personal use, and launched the campaign Non Me La Spacci Giusta to support this position.

Furthermore, Patrizio Gonnella repeated during the experts' meeting the many foreseeable advantages of cannabis legalization:

"We will save the money of the enormous costs of prohibition and imprisonment, and therefore we will have resources to use for prevention and to avoid young people falling into the hands of criminals. And we will have substances of quality that are not a danger for users' lives."

With this statement he summed up many issues linked to the legalization of personal use and cultivation of cannabis. The reform of drug policy is indeed an efficient way to weaken criminal organizations largely financed by narco-trafficking, to fight prison overcrowding, and to ensure products of quality to cannabis users.

This reform seems unavoidable, and science has already shown the use of cannabis is not a danger for adult persons.

However the law is still far from being accepted since supporters of the prohibition are quite numerous. Discussions will keep going and may be helped by the first Italian medical cannabis production, which will go on sale this summer.

Opinions about marijuana are obviously changing. It's time the law adapts to this evolution.