Ganja in Bologna, Italy - ma story

Hi, folks! Today I plan to share my rasta-experience after visiting infinite party Bologna in Italy. Brief conclusion - for some reason it’s not easy to get really good🍀cannabis buds or hash in Bologna in an “oldschool way”, but options do exist. Below I describe what is going on with weed in Bologna.

So, I just touched down back home from Bologna a couple of days ago, still got that fresh buzz in my head as I’m sparking up this joint of girl scout cookies strain. Man, Bologna was lit — couldn't have had a better time without those dank buds keepin' me company.

Where to buy weed in Bologna

Steve shared his experience on the weed purchase process in Bologna. As he said - big dealers purchase everything via darknet - there are services or “onion sites” like DrChronic or Bitpharma where they purchase big portions (via Tor browser and crypto) or cooperate with local cannabis growers.

After that they simply resell weed to tourists and locals in Bologna. In fact you may also go this way, while for tourists this is usually not acceptable - you need to know how do onion sites and Tor browsers work, have corresponding accounts on darknet websites, too long to wait for your package (2 - 7 days), high risks at all steps of this chain, etc etc.

But if you are just visiting Bologna for several days (or up to 2 weeks) and need some weed - dealing with wholesale darknet websites looks like not the best way to spend your time. This is the point where local dealers rush into this game. But if you think you can easily find street dealers with good stuff nowadays - do not hurry so much, the situation with weed in Bologna has changed already.

Now dealers switched to another approach - you simply find their messenger contacts from someone who purchased weed in Bologna already or on some forum comments, choose stuff from menu, discuss drop off area (this may be some hotel or approximate area), after you pay in crypto (yes, now this is #1 payment option for all “dark” payments) - and stuff gets delivered and dropped where you agree. Package with weed is usually masked, you get a photo and coordinates where to pick up your stuff. As a result - no official payments and no meetings in person (you choose just the approximate package drop area, not the exact place where you meet) - so both you and the dealer stay secure and anonymous. This was a little surprise for me, at home I simply buy directly from my trusted dealer via cache, but we have what we have. How happy I was that I met Steve so I do not need to go through all this 🙂

Attitude of Bologna locals to weed

You already know that good non-medical marijuana with high % THC is not something you can officially buy in a branded cannabis shop in Bologna, but this does not mean locals are too much against weed 😃. Youngsters and students are definitely those who share their love of cannabis and welcome new smokers in their circles. They can not imagine a good party without having a joint or two, while it’s hard to join them if you are already a “25+ old man”.

In general smoking some occasional joint after a long working week is a pleasant tradition among many people in Bologna, so no one will point fingers at you seeing how you are smoking weed, but better to avoid doing this publicly just not to bring useless attention.

As I was actively asking and discussing weed - Steve invited me to his apartment for a small party that very first evening - just a couple of his rasta friends, beer, weed and PS5 - exactly what I do love😁😁😁. How lucky I was😁 Steve told he will be my weed dealer while I am here in Bologna so I had no issues with great stuff all that time.

Steve also confirmed locals are OK with weed in Bologna if you behave yourself correctly, while it’s better to avoid cops and not to have more than 10 grams in your pocket.

Cannabis Laws in Italy: What You Need to Know

First things first, it’s important to understand that high-THC cannabis is illegal in Bologna. Unlike in Amsterdam, you won’t find any coffee shops selling potent marijuana strains. While medical cannabis is available, it’s typically low in THC and won’t give you the high you might be looking for.

During my stay, I met a local named Steve in the hotel bar. He’s lived in Bologna for a while and knows a lot about the cannabis scene. According to him, while the official regulations are strict, enforcement isn’t always so rigid in practice.

What Happens If You Get Caught with Weed?

In Bologna, if you have a little bit of weed with you (less than 10 grams), you probably won’t get into big trouble. The police might take it away, but they usually won’t arrest you. It’s still a good idea to be careful and not smoke cannabis in public in Bologna.

Question / Answer session about marijuana in Bologna

Is high % THC weed forbidden in Bologna?

Yes, non-medical cannabis is regulated and restricted in Bologna, while police is relaxed about marijuana and having less than 10 grams with you should not result in imprisoning anything serious.

Anyway what if you get caught with some THC cannabis product in Bologna?

Depends on the situation, but if officers think you are a drug dealer for some reason who delivers stuff - you should get punished problems. In general tourists with small amounts of hash or weed are not touched at all, only dealers with large amounts.

Can I find weed in Bologna in some oldschool way?

Of course you can! While sniffing dark streets / parks and pinging taxi drivers is an outdated approach for searching marijuana already - a big bunch of dealers migrated to online sales via messengers and crypto, but hustling parks and central streets in searches for weed may still give you some successful results.

Top quality weed and hash in Bologna - truth or myth?

Yes, truth, but complex to find. Quality differs among different dealers.

Is it possible to find hash in Bologna?

Yes, a lot of dealers sell both weed and hash, so hash is also popular and can be found in Bologna. Not always available, but rather popular.

Price for weed / hash in Bologna?

Prices vary from dealer to dealer and usually depend on quality and anything else. From what I saw - super high quality weed may go up to €20 - €25 per 1 gram (while the more you buy - the lower price you get), and high quality hash was around €30-€35 per 1 gram. Have not seen low quality weed in Bologna so do not know the prices, but should be lower.

Five random facts about cannabis

1. Cannabis Has Tons Of Nicknames

Due to its illegal status, cannabis is one of the drugs with the most nicknames out there. Weed, ganja, pot, grass, dope, reefer, hash, and even sandwiches if you’re a How I Met Your Mother fan are just a few of the slang terms that have become a part of the beloved cannabis culture.

2. California Banned First

A century ago, California was the first state in the United States to ban cannabis. This is a bit ironic when we look at the fun fact above. But it looks like Cali learned its lesson!

3. Hemp

Cannabis plants with less than 0.3% THC are classified as hemp, which is used in textiles, paper, and even food products.

4. Cultural Impact

Cannabis has significantly influenced music, particularly jazz, reggae, and hip-hop cultures.

5. Hemp for Victory

During World War II, the U.S. government encouraged farmers to grow hemp for materials needed in the war effort, launching the "Hemp for Victory" campaign.