Kicker: Making illness a crime

NICK EICHER: Belcastro is a picturesque little village on the tip of the Italian boot, and it’s giving illness the boot by making it illegal to get sick.

TORCHIA: [Speaking Italian] Yes, good morning everyone, the reason for the ordinance is that we have a medical emergency station present in the territory, on municipal premises, where we all pay the utilities at the expense of the municipality, but the service is not provided to us.

That’s the mayor explaining his tongue-in-cheek ordinance banning ill health. He’s saying this town has healthcare in name only—so his decree is less a joke and more a plea for help.

The nearest hospital is 30 miles away. It’s accessible only by a slow, winding road. And the lone doctor? Off duty on nights, weekends, and holidays.

So until something changes, Belcastro’s unofficial motto is clear: stay healthy, or you may need a lawyer too.

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