The City of Parma and Dinafem, Hand in Hand against Prohibition in Italy

The Parmigiana Anti-prohibitionist Festival will take place in the Piazza Picelli from 4:00pm to midnight and within the framework of the summoning, there will be lectures, round tables and several concerts. Two will be the main topics the presentations will cover: the increasing interest for therapeutic marijuana in the country and how to establish a code of good practices for users, which may result in more safety for urban citizens. This last topic will feature a high-ranking police officer who will express the support of these institutions towards the establishment of a set of rules that may improve everyone’s coexistence with regards to cannabis.

Last February, the Italian Constitutional Court annulled the law – passed in 2006 – with which the government of Silvio Berlusconi compared cannabis with hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. Without much explanation, the Court ruled that the law was “illegitimate”. Positions, especially against this measure, came up immediately.

But there were also those who were in favour. Somehow, a need for a citizen battle – and now also a political one– seemed to be in the air, as well as for a debate on the uses and possible legalisation of marijuana in Italy, a country where 40% of inmates are serving sentences for drug-related offenses.

Dialogue and reflection

Now the City of Parma, for the first time in history, joins the debate. And it does so hand in hand with its mayor, Federico Pizzarotti, who has decided to support what makes the eleventh ‘anti-prohibitionist’ event held in the city, a city also known for a festival dedicated to the cultivation of marijuana. This festival was boycotted by the authorities (who were in favour of Berlusconi’s policy) in previous occasions.

Pizzarotti, who belongs to the 5 Stars Movement, explained his position to the media, ensuring that he is in favour of a dialogue and “constructive reflection” on the use of cannabis and soft drugs. Moreover, not only does he support the festival with his sponsorship, but he also plans to participate in debates on legalisation as a good practice for public safety. 

It has also been claimed that his position does not imply that he favours “deviation and excess”, but that he thinks it is necessary to talk about it, given that issues related to marijuana “have been ignored for a long time. Not talking about the issue does not mean it does not exist”.

Clear opposition to the City’s initiative

The news came as a slap for the opposition, who since the beginning have criticised the City’s decision. Specifically, Forza Italia and the UDC Parma party have accused Pizzarotti of giving a bad example to the public. They also blame him for promoting an attack on public safety and “forcing the Constitution”.

Pizzarotti’s opposition also believes that the measure contradicts the decisions of the city that, on the one hand, promotes the signing of protocols on health education, and on the other, carries out this kind of event. The City of Parma, however, maintains that the event is not incompatible with the objectives, policy, programmes and projects of the administration.

5 Stars Movement, in favour of decriminalisation

Pizzarotti’s decision is no surprise to those who know about the 5 Stars Movement, which earlier this year, proposed decriminalising the use of marijuana, following the direction of the U.S. The city of Turin was the first in favour of ending prohibition.

Among other things, this party proposed that indica cannabis should be considered as a soft drug, and the cultivation of up to four marijuana plants in an authorised place be allowed, after paying a fee to the government. They also proposed to allow the possession – for personal use – of five grams of marijuana and the elimination of the mandatory arrest of those found in possession of cannabis.

The 5 Stars Movement hoped this way to put an end to the “prohibitionist policies that have given drug dealers billions of euros, and to remove hundreds of thousands of citizens from illegality”.