The arrival in the Chamber of bill for the decriminalization, cultivation, marketing and use of cannabis is scheduled for July 25.
Based on the initial forecasts, the general discussion should have started on the same date, while the voting should have started on 26 July.
However, the Justice and Social Affairs commissions of the Chamber have received 1.700 amendments, a figure so high as to make it necessary to request more time to examine and vote on the various proposed amendments. The Italian Left, which has Daniele Farina as rapporteur for the Justice Commission, has not given the willingness to postpone the examination in the Chamber to examine the contents of the amendments. The result is that the DdL on Cannabis will arrive directly in the Chamber without a mandate to the rapporteurs where the amendments will be resubmitted. This implies a postponement to September of the vote on amendments and on the measure.
“Necessarily – observed the president of the Justice Commission, Donatella Ferranti – this will make it impossible to vote on the bill before the summer break. There will be 1.700 or maybe 2.000 amendments in the Chamber, and if we want to at least examine the main ones, we will start voting in September".
Although the text is the result of an agreement between over 200 parliamentarians, even before the House arrives, the controversy has already begun.
Harsh comment by Daniele Farina (Italian Left), rapporteur of the measure: “Despite the medieval preachers, on Monday 25 July the Montecitorio Hall will face the general discussion on the draft law for the legalization of Cannabis. 1700 amendments and additional articles were not enough to destroy the urgent reasons for a modification of the current legislation".
But Area Popolare, promoter of about 1.300 of the 1.700 amendments, is not there: «Left brings pdl cannabis to the Chamber without discussion and without mandate to the rapporteur. They just have libertarian arrogance. They will not win," tweeted Alessandro Pagano, member of the House Justice Commission, announcing the intentions of the centrists.
We recall that the proposal provides for the possibility of growing cannabis for personal use respecting certain limits (5 female plants can be planted), while for detention the maximum limit is 5 grams outdoors which can be raised to 15 grams indoors. Drug dealing and consumption remain prohibited and punished. Marketing will be permitted within a state monopoly regime for plant cultivation, preparation and retailing. There are also specific rules for use for therapeutic purposes.
