Italy's Senate head halts legalisation of weaker form of cannabis

• The head of Italy's Senate blocked the anticipated legalisation of a weaker form of cannabis.
• The decision cannot be appealed.
• If you think this measure is so important for the majority.

ROME: The head of Italy's Senate blocked the anticipated legalisation of a weaker form of cannabis, in a last-minute reversal.

Parliament, while approving an amendment to the 2020 budget last week, okayed the legalisation of cannabis products containing less than 0.5 percent of the psychoactive compound THC.

But in passing the budget early Tuesday, the president of the Senate, Maria Elisabetta Casellati, declared the amendment "inadmissible" on technical grounds.

Casellati, who is a member of the centre-right Forza Italia party, said the decision was not politically motivated.

"If you think this measure is so important for the majority, then propose a bill," Casellati told members of the Five Star Movement (M5S), which rules in a coalition with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

Some 4,000 hectares (9,884 acres) of land are planted with cannabis in Italy.

The decision cannot be appealed.