City of Milan will lobby for liberalization of soft drugs in Italy

The city’s mayor backs the initiative

Two days ago, the City Council of Milan approved with a large majority an agenda on the liberalization of soft drugs. This, however, does not mean that marijuana is now legal to consume on the streets of the city. The aim is to commit the position of the Municipality on the issue and foster a national debate towards finding a solution to it.

In a sense, the Milanese local government will lobby at the National Parliament and relevant institutions for the approval of a national law on the matter.

Soft and hard drugs are treated equally by the Italian law

The mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, who was re-elected last year for five more years in office, weighed in on the subject with a show of support.

“I am in favour of the liberalization of cannabis. We need a national debate on the issue, it is a concrete and conscientious problem. I am in favour. But I heard the opinion of Luca Bernardo (the leader of the opposition in the City Council), who instead is radically opposed. His position is to be understood and respected, everyone sees things their way. But staying in this current void is not good," stated the mayor, speaking to Il Giorno.

Mayor Sala also expressed opposition to the idea of city councillors having to undergo regular drug tests.

The proposal has not yet been voted on in the council, but it has already raised a stir. "I don't think the test is needed. I remember that in Palazzo Marino (where the City Hall is housed), when I was general director, the councillors did it but not all of them,” added Sala.

The mayor had already shown support for soft drugs liberalization in the past. In 2017, he declared: "I was once young, too, and I smoked a joint”.