Italy’s army is under pressure to up its production of medical cannabis to stop patients having to turn to illegal avenues to acquire it, reports The Daily Telegraph.

Medical cannabis has been legal in Italy since 2006 and since 2016 has been produced by the country’s military. Last year, the army grew around 660 lbs of cannabis and imported close to a ton from overseas, reports The Daily Telegraph. However, a growing demand for a treatment with cannabis has seen a shortage arise that the army cannot keep up with. The International Narcotics Control Board estimates that around three tons of cannabis were consumed for medical reasons in 2021, up from two tons in 2020, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Campaigners are now saying that if the army cannot up its production rates, patients will be forced to seek illegal avenues in order to acquire their medical cannabis.
"The problem is its production and the inadequacy of the quantities produced," said Fabiana Dadone, the minister that hosted the national drugs conference at which the topic was being discussed. "Patients under treatment and people with serious illnesses should not have to suffer, they have the right to medical treatment and the effectiveness of cannabis for many patients is recognised by Italian law."