Here's why the Italian army is growing hundreds of pounds of marijuana
And so far, the first batch is coming along well, according to the Corriere della Sera website.
"The aim of this operation is to make available to a growing number of patients a medical product which isn't always readily available on the market, at a much better price for the user," Italian Colonel Antonio Medica told Corriere della Sera, according to a translation from the Independent.
Medical marijuana in Italy has been growing prohibitively expensive. Although the drug is legal for medical use, private cultivation of cannabis is prohibited and the vast majority of medical plants are imported into Italy from the Netherlands.
This has caused the price of marijuana sold in pharmacies to soar. A single gram may cost as much as 35 Euros (approximately $40), according to the Smithsonian Magazine. The Army is hoping to produce a 200-pound yield of marijuana, with the aims of driving medical prices down to just $17 a gram.
In September, Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said that the military facility outside of Florence was chosen to cultivate marijuana due to its combination of facilities and surveillance security systems.
The BBC reports that the Italian facility even comes prepared with drying and packing facilities for when the marijuana is ready for harvest.
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- "To sit and talk in the box...!" Kohli's message to critics as RCB wrecks GT in IPL Match 45
- 7 Nutritious and flavourful tiffin ideas to pack for school
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market