CBD Italy: Is CBD Legal In Italy? Did They Just Ban CBD

Roberto Speranza (Minister of Health, Italy) released a decree on October 15, 2020, intended to implement new Italy CBD regulations. These regulations would ban the free sale of all CBD containing extracts and oils meant for oral consumption. This decree, which was slated to go into effect on October 30, would have virtually destroyed Italy’s growing cannabidiol market.

Luckily, on October 28, this newly enacted decree was suspended. Roberto dropped the ban on CBD sales, revising the placement of cannabidiol on the Italian table of medicines that leverage active, narcotic substances.?

This legislative update will allow CBD products to remain on the market. These hemp CBD flowers, which contain trace amounts of THC, do not produce a high. Even during the current pandemic, these valuable products have still been purchased with great frequency. The value of these non-psychoactive and non-narcotic herbal products can not be overstated.

Is CBD Oil Legal In Italy?

At the time of this article’s release (11/2020), all CBD containing products, which are void of THC, are still legal for sale in Italy. The Italian Ministry of Health stated that they are inviting the Higher Institute of Health and the Higher Council of Health to weigh in on the ideal classification for cannabidiol.?

The updated decree indicates concern over cannabidiol’s effects remaining non-psychoactive when the compound is taken in substantial concentrations. However, there is a copious amount of indication that CBD does not create a psychoactive “high,” even when taken in large volumes. Quite the contrary, cannabidiol seems to be able to attenuate and reduce the effects of altered states.

Authoritative sources frequently reference research where cannabidiol has been administered in titanic doses of over 1 gram per day, and no psychoactivity was reported as a result. We hope that Italy intends to support CBD in future. Choosing to support CBD will boost the health and well-being of the Italian population while enabling a budding industry that can provide jobs and economic benefits.

Italy CBD Narcotic Information

This new decree would have effectively labelled CBD as a narcotic. CBD, a gentle plant compound enjoyed by grandmas in need, and lovable pets? it couldn’t even get a flea high!

Under close examination, it does seem that the Italian Medicines Agency was not overly concerned with the psychoactivity of cannabidiol. Their initial decree specifically calls out cannabidiol products for oral use. Additional statements also indicate that, in the future, oral CBD would only be produced by the agency itself.

Simultaneous to the decree’s release, the Italian Customs Agency warned retailers not to sell any items which feature CBD. Still, the status of dry cannabis light flowers remained unaddressed. This indicates that the new decree explicitly sought to arrest the current CBD oil market and shift it exclusively under pharmaceutical control.

Currently, there is only one pharmaceutical CBD product available. This product is named Epidiolex, and it is produced by GW Pharmaceuticals. GW has begun to distribute across the US and Europe, including the UK, Germany, Spain, and France. There are recent reports that GW has displayed an interest in entering the Italian market. Perhaps this decree was meant to pave the way for Epidiolex, or similar products, to take over current sales in the country.

Despite its prescription and pharmaceutical label, Epidiolex is simply a 10% CBD oil, suspended in 100ml of oil. The most extraordinary property of this formula is its incredible price tag. The medical clout surrounding these prescription CBD items could theoretically allow health regulators to make additional profit from clients who thrive with regular cannabidiol use.

This potential, and thankfully suspended, decree was also in direct conflict with the World Health Organization’s actions. In 2018, CBD was removed from the WHO’s narcotic and psychotropic drugs list. Additionally, they have encouraged the free sale of all CBD items that contain under 0.2% THC per dry weight.

Recently, hemp was included in the Italian Ministry of Agriculture’s list of medicinal plants. This inclusion may also indicate that the Ministry of Health eventually intended to restrict cannabis light flowers’ sale, establishing a total monopoly over the non-psychoactive cannabinoid market.

Italian CBD, THC, and Cannabis

These recent activities are a direct threat to the Italian cannabis industry. This market is currently valued at ?134.17 million. Over 15,000 businesses are involved in the Italian cannabis trade, allowing for incredible employment opportunities across the country.

We are grateful to see that the Italian Ministry of Health is taking the time to re-examine and potentially change their decision. While pharmaceutical industries can provide high-quality items with excellent standards, it is crucial to keep these herbal, natural products available to the public at an affordable price.

By keeping the market open, Italy will be choosing to support the quality of its citizens’ lives. When governmental agencies can take a step back and examine well-being, economic integrity, and potential employment, the choice is clear: we need to provide free and open access to top-shelf CBD!