Cannabis Crackdowns

2025 Brings Bans, Threats, and Legal Uncertainty

Just when the world seemed to be moving forward with cannabis reform, 2025 has brought a wave of cannabis crackdowns that few saw coming.

From Italy’s sudden ban on hemp and CBD to troubling developments in the United States under President Trump, this year is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable for the cannabis movement in recent memory.

Let’s explore what’s happening—and why these changes matter not just for governments, but for growers, patients, and cannabis lovers everywhere.

Italy: From Hemp Leader to Legal Reversal

Italy was once one of Europe’s friendliest markets for low-THC cannabis, or “cannabis light.” Shops across the country sold CBD oils and dried hemp flower legally.

But in spring 2025, everything changed. Italy’s government passed a decree reclassifying all hemp flower and ingestible CBD products as narcotics, making them prescription-only. Even CBD oil is now illegal for retail sale.

Still legal: CBD creams and topicals
Now banned: CBD oil, capsules, hemp flower—even if THC is below 0.2%

The decision, confirmed by Italy’s top administrative court, has stunned the industry. With over €2 billion in annual sales and more than 22,000 jobs at stake, Italy’s hemp sector is demanding answers. Legal experts say the move may breach EU free trade laws, and Brussels is watching closely.

United States: A New Federal Threat to Medical Cannabis

While Italy’s crackdown was swift, the U.S. is facing a slower, more political form of cannabis crackdown. President Donald Trump’s 2026 federal budget has alarmed advocates by proposing the removal of the Rohrabacher–Farr Amendment—the rule that protects state medical cannabis programs from federal prosecution.

If passed, this would allow the Department of Justice to raid or shut down medical marijuana programs, even in states where they are fully legal.

This threat comes alongside a broader conservative agenda known as Project 2025, which seeks to centralise federal power and reverse decades of drug reform.

At the same time, Trump’s administration has stalled efforts to reschedule cannabis, a promise made during his campaign. There is currently no sign that the DEA will reclassify cannabis from Schedule I (the same level as heroin), despite growing public support.

Patients in legal states could lose protections
Businesses may face renewed risk from federal law enforcement
No federal progress on research, safety, or access

The Bigger Picture: Global Momentum, Local Reversals

The events in Italy and the U.S. aren’t isolated. Around the world, cannabis laws are swinging both forward and backwards:

Germany launched its social club cannabis reform this year, but with tight restrictions.
France remains hesitant, especially on advertising and CBD regulation.
Mexico’s long-delayed legalisation process has once again stalled in Congress.
Canada, while legal nationwide, is facing market saturation and overregulation.

2025 is proving that cannabis progress is fragile, and often politically driven.

What This Means for You

If you live in Italy, you can no longer legally buy hemp flower or oral CBD without a prescription. Stick to topicals for now.
If you’re in the U.S.: Watch closely—your state’s medical cannabis protections could disappear if Congress supports Trump’s proposal.
If you run a cannabis business, Uncertainty in global markets means more risk. Stay up to date on both national and EU-level law.

A Message from the Cannabis Museum Amsterdam

At the Cannabis Museum, we tell the story of cannabis through centuries of highs and lows—from ancient medicine to 20th-century prohibition and today’s legalisation battles.

The cannabis crackdowns of 2025 remind us that the journey is far from over. Even hard-won freedoms can be rolled back. But history also teaches us that with enough awareness, education, and public support, progress tends to find its way back.