An amendment to ban the sale of hemp flowers in Italy has encountered strong opposition from representatives in the industrial hemp sector. Last week, a hearing was held at the Italian Senate where spokespeople from hemp industry associations presented arguments against the amendment, followed by questions from MEPs on both sides of the political spectrum. Mattia Cusani, president of Canapa Sativa Italia, highlighted the critical stakes for the industry: "We stand to lose up to 30,000 jobs, half a billion euros in annual revenue, and 150 million euros in taxes." Beyond the economic impact, he argued that Italy's rural areas and young entrepreneurs would lose significant opportunities if the ban moves forward.
Cusani emphasized that the amendment does not halt the sale of "cannabis light," or low-THC cannabis. Quite the opposite, in fact, as it directly jeopardizes the future of Italian hemp farmers, since European Union regulations allow any EU member state to sell within Italy, regardless of the nation's individual restrictions. "The market won't disappear—only Italian products will," he explained, pointing out that hemp will still be imported to Italy. The only result would be the exclusion of local growers from participating in a thriving EU-wide sector.
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Lorenza Romanese, president of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), offered further insight, pointing to successful European examples where countries have chosen progressive frameworks to regulate hemp. Sweden, for example, invested €10 million in facilities to produce fiber for sustainable construction, while countries like Greece, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and the UK have embraced free CBD commerce, which led to a "transparent market." Romanese criticized Italy's focus on debating whether CBD is narcotic, contrasting it with Germany's stance. Germany, she explained, has deliberately excluded any classification of hemp as a "drug," which enabled this industry to further develop.
The representatives noted that Italy's approach also disregards rulings by the European Court of Justice, which have repeatedly supported the legality of hemp products within EU borders. Romanese underscored that the attempted hemp ban would not only affect "cannabis light" but would extend to cosmetics and foods containing hemp, effectively paralyzing multiple industrial sectors. "Italy risks falling behind," she stated, as the nation fails to leverage the rapidly growing demand for wellness and cosmetic products in Europe.
The amendment's focus on preventing public safety risks and recreational use of hemp sparked responses from industry advocates who reiterated that industrial hemp is a non-psychoactive crop, a fact acknowledged by both the World Health Organization and Italian administrative courts. Both Cusani and Romanese argued that Italy should adopt existing EU regulatory tools—such as seed monitoring and THC content limits—to address these concerns effectively, without stifling the sector.
The sector's leaders expressed disappointment with the Italian government's decision to proceed with the amendment without consulting the hemp industry's "technical working table," a body involving 48 entities and 40 state bodies. "It's disheartening to see the government ignore three years of joint work by associations, agriculture experts, and academics," Cusani remarked. "It's as if the state is humiliating the work that the state itself has done on this matter."
Romanese acknowledged that the European Commission is investigating the Italian amendment, suggesting the potential for EU intervention. When she spoke with MMJDaily in August, she stated that despite multiple attempts to stop this amendment from going through, it ultimately will. Now it's a matter of waiting to see the next steps from national and European institutions, leaving open the question of how the Italian hemp industry will defend itself against further legislative challenges.