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As of 2025, Italy permits only medical cannabis use, with decriminalization for personal use, but recreational use remains illegal.
If you occasionally smoke marijuana for recreational purposes, you might be curious about Italy's marijuana legislation. In this article, we'll take you on a voyage through the world of marijuana in Italy while providing all the legal travel advice you'll need. Continue reading to learn more.
Weed Laws in Italy 2025
Starting with the laws. Officially, Italy only permits the medical use of cannabis. However, it is no longer a crime. This is a bit of a gray area because national and local governments do not want to foot the bill for prosecuting and imprisoning young drug users. They have refrained from legalizing drugs because they do not want to give users a free pass.
The Italian government passed Law 79 in 2014. This essentially classified marijuana as a less harmful drug. Due to Italy's decriminalization of less dangerous narcotics, possessing cannabis for personal use is still punishable by a fine but is not necessarily a crime.
What Do the Actual Cannabis Laws in Italy Mean?
What Law 79 actually means will depend on your location and the person in charge of enforcing it. Police frequently ignore violations; you might once receive a disapproving glance or a gentle warning, but nothing more.
You can have your stockpile seized one day and even have your identification documents taken from you. While we don't advise doing anything that could land you in trouble while on vacation but if you have marijuana, make sure you only ever have a tiny quantity.
What Cannabis Amounts Are Considered for Personal Use in Italy?
The upper limit for reasonable personal intake is 1.5 grams. No one can bring charges against you if you stay below this number. However, keep in mind that you still run the danger of receiving a fine, and more severe steps may be taken if you are caught more than once.
Is Cannabis for Recreational Use Legal in Italy?
No, it's still illegal to use cannabis recreationally in Italy. Nevertheless, some businesses have chosen to advertise a low-THC product that is only permitted for sale under industrial cannabis laws. What is referred to as "recreational cannabis" in the Italian market is "cannabis intended for industrial purposes." However, as smoking is not intended, it is clearly marked on the packaging as "product not for human use" and "do not smoke."
Is CBD Legal in Italy?
In Italy, CBD extracted from hemp is acceptable. Since CBD is not a narcotic or a psychotropic substance, the Ministry of Health has stated that the current laws governing medical products should be followed if CBD is utilized in the manufacture of therapeutic products. As a result, CBD cannot be subject to the same regulations as pharmaceuticals that contain psychoactive ingredients like THC.
Cannabis Shops in Italy
Many "light" cannabis stores have sprung up all around Rome and the surrounding areas since hemp was legalized in Italy in 2016. The cannabis light Law 242/16 made it unnecessary to apply for permission to grow cannabis that has a THC content below 0.2%. There are reportedly roughly 1300 stores that offer delivery services for hemp inflorescences and leaves in addition to vending machines.
Will recreational marijuana be legalized in Italy?
Early in 2022, there was a lot of optimism that Italy would legalize cannabis for recreational use. However, this optimism was quickly destroyed when the Supreme Court of Italy denied a referendum request to do so. According to Italian pollster Sondaggi Bidimedia, 57% of Italian voters would support the initiative, giving Italy a real chance to overtake the United States as the cannabis-friendly nation in Europe.
Conclusion
So what does Italy's legalization of cannabis look like in the future? Italy is without a doubt more progressive than the UK, but it might still have some catching up to do before it can fully compete with countries like the Netherlands.
