Italians step up war on pot users, dealers

In advance of the April 9th elections the conservative Italian Government led by the fresh faced, youthful and fun lovin' Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has pushed through new legislation putting marijuana use on a par with cocaine and heroine ending any legal distinction between 'soft' and 'hard' drugs, effectively recriminalizing marijuana use in the country.

Ignazio La Russa of the rightwing National Alliance (AN) party, which sponsored the law, said: "We have asserted three great civic principles: first, that drugs are bad for you and the State isn't indifferent; second, that only pushers are punished while young people and communities get more help; and third, that penalties for pushers are harsher" .

Sanctions against marijuana users including mandatory detention at home during the night and temporary suspension of driver's license and passport. Those found to be dealing or trafficking in drugs face 6-20 years in jail along with 260,000 Euros in fines.

Previously possession was subject to a summons and a warning. This is a reversal of a recent trend towards liberalization in other European states; in 2004, for instance, the British government has relaxed the official view on possession and re classified the drug use (Home Office site on changes) making possession a non-arrestable offence in most cases, although technically a conviction could lead to a two-year jail term, down from the previous five.

In 1993 Italians voted to de-criminalise marijuana users in a national referendum and recent statistics show 33% of Italian teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 have smoked pot at least once, while 10-12% have tried cocaine, 11% ecstasy and 7-10% crack and some 10% of adults are said to use pot on a regular basis .

There are an estimated 300,000-320,000 heroin addicts in Italy, more than 20,000 of whom are in jail. In 2001, 150,300 Italians were treated for drug addiction. Drug Treatment specialists claim the main drug problem facing Italy is an 80% rise in cocaine use in the past 10 years .