Is Weed Legal in Italy?

Recreational cannabis is illegal in Italy, but personal possession is decriminalized as an administrative offense under DPR 309/1990. Medical cannabis is legal and dispensed by prescription through AIFA-authorized channels, with domestic production handled by the Stabilimento Chimico Farmaceutico Militare (SCFM) in Florence.

Possession of small quantities for personal use is sanctioned administratively under Article 75 of DPR 309/1990 - penalties include suspension of driver's license, passport, and ID for 1 to 12 months, with no criminal record. Italian case law generally treats possession above approximately 1,000 mg of THC (roughly 5 grams of typical flower) as presumptive evidence of trafficking under Article 73, which carries 6 to 20 years' imprisonment and fines of EUR 26,000 to EUR 260,000. Home cultivation of a small number of plants for strictly personal use was decriminalized by the Court of Cassation's United Sections ruling no. 12348/2020 (Caruso), and this jurisprudence remains in force in 2026.

Medical cannabis (Cannabis FM-2 produced by SCFM Florence and imported Bedrocan varieties from the Netherlands) continues to be prescribed for chronic pain, multiple sclerosis spasticity, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and other indications per the Ministerial Decree of 9 November 2015. Despite the 2025 Decreto Sicurezza tightening the regulatory environment around cannabis derivatives, AIFA confirmed that medical cannabis prescribing pathways remain operational.