Fabiana Dadone, the one who, in order to prove that she was a minister for youth, had herself photographed with the Nirvana shirt and feet on the desk, replied to the letter that was sent by 400 cannabis fasters to Draghi and Speranza. “I have been given the delegation of functions in the matter of drug policies“, wrote the minister to reassure that, compatibly with the health emergency, the convocation process of the fasters will begin as soon as possible. But beyond the response given by Fabiana Dadone to those who protest for the legalization of cannabis in Italy, a triggering the controversy is the confirmation of the anti-drug delegation, given by Dadone herself, who in the letter underlines how it was entrusted to her on March 15th.
“We were hoping for a denial but confirmation arrived: Prime Minister Draghi has entrusted the government delegation to anti-drug policies to the grillina Fabiana Dadone. For years FdI has asked for the assignment of the proxy because it was scandalous that no one took care of the drug emergency full time but it is serious and disappointing that for such a delicate task as the fight against addiction a political exponent who signed proposals for legalize the cannabis“, he thundered Giorgia Meloni. The leader of the Brothers of Italy is embittered by the choices of this government and does not hide it, and then makes an appeal to the coalition: “This is not the discontinuity we expected from Draghi. I renew my appeal to the center-right parties that support the government to make themselves heard decisively: Brothers of Italy will do so from the opposition because on these issues, subsidence and downward compromises are not acceptable“.
But after the confirmation of Fabiana Dadone, the entire center-right expressed very strong concerns about this choice. Among the most critical Roberto Occhiuto, leader of Forza Italia in the Chamber of Deputies. “It is positive that Prime Minister Draghi has entrusted government delegation to anti-drug policies to a minister; it is curious, however, that the choice fell on Fabiana Dadone, owner of youth policies and admittedly antiprobiizionista“, said the deputy, stressing that”the executive, through its action, should guarantee the promotion and direction of policies to prevent, monitor and combat the spread of drug addictions and alcohol addictions“.
Instead, as Occhiuto claims, Minister Dadone “in the recent past he has publicly supported the liberalization of cannabis several times, and has signed bills for his own legalization“. Roberto Occhiuto, therefore, rhetorically wonders if there was no profile in the government”less objectionable“, hoping that”Dadone clarifies quickly and unequivocally the guidelines through which it intends to carry out its mandate“. The group leader, therefore, drew the line of his party:”On these issues Forza Italia and the center-right will not discount: drugs are absolute evil, there are no drugs of series A and series B“.
After the words of Occhiuto, the M5S complained of alleged offenses against Fabiana Dadone. Forza Italia’s response came quickly through Annaelsa Tartaglione, vice president of Forza Italia deputies: “Raising legitimate doubts about the assignment to Dadone of the delegation to drug policies it does not correspond in any way to an ‘offense’ against the minister or, least of all, against President Draghi. Sorry that the Tripodi grillina uses these puerile dialectical ‘weapons’ to declassify a story that deserves attention and clarity“.
Annaelsa Tartaglione then continues: “The M5S should always keep in mind that it is part of a government of national unity, supported by a majority heterogeneous in values and cultures. Therefore, it is completely normal that those who have always fought against the legalization of drugs, preferring life to the diabolic limbo in which narcotics, raise doubts about certain choices“. Finally, the vice-president of deputies of FI concludes:”And if in the course of these months Minister Dadone has changed her mind on the use of drugs, she can only please us, reveal it and make her new beliefs public.“.
She also spoke on the subject Licia Ronzulli, vice president of the Forza Italia group in the Senate and responsible for the blue movement for relations with allies. “We know the ideas of the 5 Star Movement on cannabis and they are absolutely distant from ours. In these three years of legislature we have sent back numerous attempts by the grillini to legalize it and certainly we have not changed our minds now.“, said Ronzulli. The vice president of Forza Italia in the Senate, therefore, reiterated that”we are and we remain against the use of any drug and we will not back down an inch on the need to combat their use and prevent addictions“.
Maria Teresa Bellucci, deputy and group leader for Brothers of Italy in the Committee on Social Affairs and bicameral childhood and adolescence, states: “The assignment of the proxy for anti-drug policies to Minister Grillino Dadone is a nasty Easter surprise. The much announced Government of the best by Premier Draghi assigns such a delicate delegation to the worst Minister. For 10 years the government lefts have not assigned the delegation and have abandoned the policies to combat pathological addictions to the most complete disinterest, while the 5Stelle, and the same Dadone, reserved their blind attention only to the liberalization of cannabis“.
Bellucci brings concrete data to support her thesis on the drographic emergency in Italy among young people: “For years, FdI has been asking for an impressive plan to combat drugs, a reform of the system of public and private services for pathological addictions, in addition to financing the National Fight Fund drugs, the reconstitution of the Consultation of Experts and the celebration of the national anti-drug policy conference“.
In defense of Fabiana Dadone he lined up Mario Perantoni, chairman of the Chamber’s Justice Committee and M5S deputy: “The delegation of drug policies to Minister Dadone has opened a competition to who is more obscurantist, with notable peaks of arrogance. I am absolutely in solidarity with Fabiana and I am convinced that she will work very well. The criticisms are clearly a priori and instrumental: confusing the actions of prevention and management of the complex phenomenon of drugs with a generic ‘free all’ is the result of anti-historical positions that we hoped to be overcome.“. The grillino deputy concluded:”I will soon schedule the bill to include those principles in our legal system, also to support the right of patients to be treated with cannabis.“.
Maurizio Gasparri quickly reacted without half measures to the words of the chairman of the House Justice Committee: “I read that a certain Perantoni opens the discussion on the pro-drug law in the House. I don’t know what Montecitorio will decide but such a law will never pass at Palazzo Madama. We voted for Draghi, not ‘drugs’. Anyone who jokes about these issues wants to send the government home“.