The Italian Ministry of Health publishes a guide to medical cannabis

The Italian Minister of Health has published a guide on medical cannabis for healthcare professionals and pharmacists who are called upon to prescribe it, since the’Italy has legalized the medical use of cannabis.

In particular, the guide provides a wealth of information on cannabis dosages and methods of administration, and offers warnings about potential interactions with other medications and possible side effects.

The brochure also clarifies that the term «medical use» does not actually mean that cannabis is a therapy, but «rather a treatment for symptoms, in addition to other standard treatments,» and that it can be used:

• as a pain reliever for conditions involving spasms associated with pain (multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries) that are resistant to conventional treatments
• as a pain reliever for chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain, for which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, or opioid medications are ineffective
• for its anti-kinetic and antiemetic effects against nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and HIV therapy—effects that cannot be achieved with traditional treatments
• to stimulate the appetite of patients suffering from cachexia, anorexia, or loss of appetite in patients with cancer and AIDS, which cannot be stimulated by standard treatments
• for its blood-pressure-lowering effect in cases of glaucoma resistant to traditional therapies
• in reducing involuntary movements of the body or face in patients with Tourette's syndrome, and which cannot be achieved with standard treatments.

The Complete Guide can be read here.

Italy's first medical cannabis harvest is Available in pharmacies in January. Italy decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis in 1993. The medical use of cannabis has been legal since 2013. Until now, pharmacies have been sourcing their supplies from abroad, which has resulted in very high prices for patients—about €20 per gram.