If the law actually comes into force, the possession of up to four cannabis plants would be allowed, as the newspaper “Corriere della Sera” reported on Thursday. In the next step, the draft law must be debated in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies – the larger of the two chambers of parliament.
The approval of the Justice Commission caused an outcry, especially in the right-wing political camp. The politicians of the right-wing and conservative parties voted against it on Wednesday evening, as reported by the Ansa news agency. Among others, the Social Democrats (PD) and the anti-establishment party Five Star Movement voted in favor.
The co-initiator of the draft law, Riccardo Magi from the Europe-friendly mini-party Più Europa, said according to “Corriere della Sera” that Italy was the first country in Europe to decriminalize the cultivation of cannabis at home for private use. Proponents argue that it can create jobs and that growing it at home is important for those ill who use cannabis in their therapy.