Wednesday 22 September 2021

Italy to hold referendum on decriminalizing cannabis after 500,000 sign petition in a week

 Italy to hold referendum on decriminalizing cannabis after 500,000 sign petition in a week

A good result but a referendum can be determined by public opinion led by the rich and powerful that want control and profit and are happy to provide inaccurate and false information - look what happened with UK and Brexit.

It can also fly in the face of Human Rights and Justice, which ought to be the priority, and leave the supply and control in the hands of Government and / or big industry. Human Rights must be applied and adhered to irrespective of public opinion.

The essential question that must be pushed during the lead up to the referendum is the question: why should the law punish a person for doing something that does no harm to others? Why should people's private lives and beliefs be interfered with by government or other authorities unless in the interests of public health, public order or the Rights of others, as demanded by Human Rights laws?

And of course if possession of cannabis ceases to be an offence in law, where will people obtain it? Will they be allowed to grow their own, grow for others, collective grows and will there be legal commercial or other supplies for those unable to grow their own? The latter leads us to ask what controls and consumer protection will be put on those suppliers? Will it be put into the hands of big pharmaceutical businesses or others?