Italy develops its medical cannabis industry

In Italy, cannabis use has long been decriminalized, while the medical use of cannabis is legal since 2013.

The country is also one of the most progressive in Europe. In fact, Italy grows hemp and was even one of the world’s largest producers in the 20th century, until the government banned its cultivation and synthetic materials became widely available. Italy uses hemp in particular for decontaminate its polluted land.

A bill under consideration by The proposal was presented to the members of Congress last year. It called for allowing personal cultivation of up to 5 cannabis plants per person, decriminalizing the possession of 5 grams of cannabis in public (as in the Czech Republic) and 15 grams at home. However, the bill continued to prohibit sales between private individuals. It remains pending.

Italy legalized medical cannabis in 2013, and doctors are therefore able to prescribe it to their patients. However, it took some time for them to begin implementing this procedure: cultivation was costly, and doctors were reluctant to view the product as an effective treatment for patients, as they were unfamiliar with the benefits of medical cannabis.

So.., The Italian military has decided to take matters into its own hands and grew cannabis for medical use to see how to reduce costs and the selling price.

Antonio Medica, the drug lord endorsed by the Italian government, stated for the BBC : «Our goal is to provide a real solution that meets Italy’s needs, and we have several plots of land available across the country to develop cannabis cultivation.» Today, the demand for cannabis is growing steadily. Italy is making inroads into the cannabis industry and encouraging people from all walks of life to participate in this thriving sector.

A photographer recently took a series of photos for National Geographic in the fields of Apulia. Titled Green Gold, the photographer’s project sought to highlight the various roles of cannabis in Italy—a thriving industry that stands in contrast to illegal black-market trafficking—as well as its different uses, whether medical or recreational. The country is innovating, and so is the cannabis industry.

Mehdi Bautier