The government of Italy is moving forward with the controversial “Security Decree,” which could make industrial hemp flowers illegal. This is bad news for Italy’s booming hemp industry. Canapa Sativa Italia (CSI) did a study that says this move could take away 22,000 jobs and cost the economy €2 billion. The order is set to be looked at by the Senate on April 15. Farmers, business owners, and activists are strongly against it because they believe it will only help illegal cannabis markets in other countries.
The economic effects of making hemp illegal
Critics say the proposed law is a “ideologically driven crackdown” because it goes after hemp inflorescences even though they are allowed under EU law. The CSI study, called “Cannabis Light Policy: Economic Impact and Regulatory Proposals,” looks at two possible market situations. The first option keeps things the same and lets sales happen in specialty shops, online stores, and smoke stores. This model serves a market worth €1 billion, keeps 12,500 direct jobs going, and creates another 10,000 indirect jobs, adding €1.94 billion to Italy’s economy.
The second possibility, on the other hand, establishes a “state monopoly” that permits only licensed tobacco shops to sell the product. This plan will shrink the market by €1.4 billion and create only 6,000 jobs. The economy will suffer in more ways than just the weed industry. Food companies, herbal medicine companies, and cosmetic brands that utilize hemp grown in Italy will face impacts.
There is a threat to Italy’s agricultural heritage. Italy has been a leader in high-quality hemp production for a long time, and its hemp industry could become as big as its wine and hops businesses. Businesses in Italy would have to buy hemp flowers from other EU countries because of the planned ban. This would hurt Italian farmers and help their foreign competitors. Even worse, it could turn the black market back on, undoing years of progress in making hemp sales legal.
Hemp isn’t just used to make cannabis-based goods; it’s also used to make a lot of other things, like natural cosmetics, CBD-based wellness extracts, and healthy hemp seeds and oils. Italy could lose its edge in a global market that is growing quickly if it makes hemp flowers illegal.
More and more people are fighting back against the Security Decree
A lot of people are against the order. Farmers, activists, and lawmakers from the opposition have called it a “attack on economic freedom.” The Rete No DDL Sicurezza – A Pieno Regime network wants people all over the country to protest the bill because they see it as a threat to workers’ rights and democracy. Some advocacy groups, like Antigone, say that the decree is
“one of the strictest limits on civil liberties in Italy’s recent history.”
Italy shouldn’t be trying to stop the hemp business. Instead, they should be strengthening regulations to make sure quality and safety while also helping local farmers. Italy could become a world leader in sustainable hemp production by having clear rules. This would create jobs and boost trade. Unfortunately, the way things are done now could mean giving up a promising agricultural industry for short-term political gains.
The Decreto Sicurezza could destroy Italy’s hemp business, which would lose a lot of jobs and money. Italy shouldn’t push farmers and businesses into the shadows. Instead, it should support sensible rules that protect customers and the economy. Italy may lose one of its most promising agricultural areas if nothing is done quickly. The future of hemp in Italy is in danger.