Walter De Benedetto, who suffers from a severe and debilitating form of rheumatoid arthritis, has won his legal battle. The judge of the Arezzo court, Fabio Lombardo, declared that Walter was not guilty of drug trafficking, recognizing that the cannabis cultivation in his home was exclusively for therapeutic purposes.
Walter, in a desperate attempt to alleviate the chronic pain caused by his illness, was forced to grow cannabis at home since the amount of cannabinoid medications prescribed to him was insufficient to meet his needs. After being reported for having a home greenhouse with some cannabis plants, he embarked on a long legal battle, which ended with a verdict that marks an important step in the fight for the recognition of the right to self-cultivate for medical use in Italy.
A Verdict Welcomed with Applause and Relief
Upon leaving the courthouse, Walter was greeted with applause from his supporters. In a statement shortly after the verdict, he expressed his satisfaction:
“We did it. I was acquitted because it was recognized that I had no intention of selling drugs. I simply needed this plant to cope with the pain my illness causes me every day.”
His lawyer, Lorenzo Simonetti, added:
“We are very satisfied with the acquittal because the case was unfounded. Walter resorted to self-cultivation solely for medical necessity, as was demonstrated in court. We had long requested the case’s dismissal, and today we finally achieved justice.”
Social and Political Mobilization in Support of Walter
Walter’s case shocked public opinion, becoming a symbol of the fight for the rights of seriously ill patients who rely on therapeutic cannabis. Through the #IoStoConWalter campaign, countless citizens, associations, and political figures expressed their support. Among them were representatives of the Five Star Movement like Caterina Licatini and Riccardo Magi of +Europa, who attended the hearings and reiterated the need for a law allowing domestic cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic purposes.
Organizations such as Meglione and Luca Coscioni also joined the fight, loudly calling for a revision of current regulations. Their goal is to ensure that all patients with serious conditions have continuous access to therapeutic cannabis, without being hindered by bureaucratic limitations or shortages of medications in the legal market.
An Uncertain Future: Italy and Therapeutic Cannabis
Despite Walter’s acquittal being an important victory, his case is unfortunately not isolated. In Italy, many patients who rely on cannabis to manage chronic pain or other debilitating symptoms find themselves battling not only their illness but also the law. Access to therapeutic cannabis remains limited and often insufficient, leaving many patients with no alternative but to grow the plant themselves, risking legal consequences.
However, many countries around the world are already adopting more open legislation regarding domestic cultivation for medical use. Walter’s case could represent a decisive step toward reform in Italy, where the demand for legislative change is becoming increasingly urgent.
The hope is that the Italian government will take note of this verdict and move quickly toward legislation that guarantees the right to home cultivation for seriously ill patients, in line with what is happening in other European countries and beyond.
If you want to learn more about Walter’s case and the struggles for the recognition of therapeutic cannabis, we recommend reading articles on La Repubblica and Il Fatto Quotidiano.
