Italy court cracks down on cannabis shops in win for Salvini

The interior ministry issued a directive in May to strengthen controls on legal weed shops
Reuters (UK)
Thursday, May 30, 2019

Italy’s Supreme court banned the sale of many widely sold cannabis derivatives, in a win for Deputy Prime Minister and far-right League leader Matteo Salvini who had declared war on the so-called “legal-weed” shops. Under 2016 legislation, cannabis with a psychotropic active ingredient (THC) level below 0.6 percent can be freely cultivated and sold in Italy. But according to the latest ruling, the sale of cannabis derivatives such as “oil, leaves, inflorescences and resin” does not fall within the scope of the law. The ruling is likely to be a serious blow to the light weed commerce that has thrived in Italy in the last three years.  (See also: Did Italy just make selling 'cannabis light' illegal? | Italy’s top court bans cannabis light sales as sector feels political heat)