Hemp and CBD Sector in Italy Awaits Legal Definition After Restrictions Suspension

The hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) products sector in Italy is experiencing a moment of regulatory instability, marked by judicial decisions, legislative changes, and questions within the European Union. 

According to the NewsWeed portal, the current scenario is the result of a series of measures adopted by the Italian government that directly impact the production and commercialization of these products.

In December 2025, the Italian Council of State accepted an appeal filed by sector associations and temporarily suspended provisions that restricted the sale of CBD products. 

The decision halts the effects of a regulation that classified natural CBD oral preparations as medicines, which would require a medical prescription and limit sales to pharmacies. The final judgment of the case is scheduled for May 2026.

Cannabis in Italy: Market Impacts 

Since the approval of the Hemp Law in 2016, Italy began allowing the cultivation and commercialization of cannabis-derived products with low THC content, known as light cannabis. The legislation spurred the emergence of hundreds of specialized stores and the development of a supply chain that includes agriculture, cosmetics, wellness products, and industrial hemp applications.
 

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The sector generates hundreds of millions of euros annually and creates thousands of direct and indirect jobs, as highlighted by NewsWeed. However, the proposed changes in 2024 put this market at risk by attempting to restrict the sale of hemp flowers, leaves, and extracts, even when within legal THC limits.

Legal Disputes and Relationship with the European Union

In addition to internal debate, Italian regulations have been subject to scrutiny at European levels. 

According to NewsWeed, experts point out that the restrictions may contradict decisions of the European Union Court of Justice, which has already established that CBD should not be considered a narcotic substance and that its commercialization cannot be prohibited when the product is legally produced in another Member State.

With information from NewsWeed.