Lucrezia Ciotti During a protest in Turin, the secretary of the Radical Party, Filippo Blengino , brought the issue of CBD cannabis back to the center of public debate in Italy. Despite its non-drug effects, the substance is still treated as a drug, creating regulatory confusion and penalizing those who legally operate in the sector. Arrested and later released, Blengino's gesture transformed a symbolic protest into a political and legal case of national importance.
A Turin afternoon transformed into a political stage
What was supposed to be a quiet market afternoon in Turin's Piazza Foroni quickly turned into an unexpected event , capturing the attention of passersby and onlookers. The centerpiece of the event was a "dealing table" set up by Filippo Blengino, secretary of the Italian Radicals, who displayed half a kilo of CBD cannabis —legal and non-drug-inducing—as a protest against current regulations.
The news quickly spread across the country, fueling debate and stances . Riccardo Magi (+Europa) called the treatment of CBD cannabis "madness" in the Security Decree, emphasizing that " it has no narcotic effects, yet it is treated like a drug ." Marco Grimaldi (Alliance of the Greens and the Left) added: " We support Blengino.
His civil disobedience highlights the plight of tens of thousands of entrepreneurs forced to close.
"They arrested him," trouble for party secretary Filippo Blengino.
After hours of tension , Blengino was released and explained to his supporters: " I had with me about half a kilo of cannabis, a scale, and the money I'd made from the sale. This complaint is necessary: we want to go to court to explain our reasons, those of those the government has turned into drug traffickers ." Blengino's action isn't just a provocation: it's a gesture aimed at highlighting the contradictions of Article 18 of the Security Decree , which equates CBD cannabis with narcotics, severely penalizing those who operate in the sector legally.
The Italian Radicals made it clear that their goal was to secure a trial that would allow the issue to be brought before the Constitutional Court: " His decision to sell CBD cannabis in the streets, a non-drug substance ideologically equated by the government to any other narcotic, causing the closure of dozens of legal businesses, will allow us to explain our reasons and those of the law in the courts ," reads an official statement.
For a few hours, Turin became the scene of a legal and political battle destined to leave its mark on the country.
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