Italy: Market and legal data analysis of the cannabis sector

26th January 2024: Italy: The Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) has again extended the suspension of the decree that places “the compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from Cannabis extracts” in the table of medicines in the Narcotics Act until 24th September 2024. On that day, the TAR should rule on the decree’s legitimacy.
22nd November 2023: France: A joint committee made up of assembly members and senators has failed to agree on a common version of the 2024 Social Security Financing Bill after the Senate amended the text adopted by the National Assembly. The provisions to introduce a regulatory framework for cannabis-based medicines were only slightly amended. The bill returns to the National Assembly for a new reading.
26th October 2023: Italy: The Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) has extended the suspension of the decree that places “the compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from Cannabis extracts” in the table of medicines in the Narcotics Act until 16th January 2024. On that day, the TAR will rule on the decree’s legitimacy.
9th October 2023: Italy: The Ministry of Health has decided to appeal the decision of the Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) to suspend the decree that places “the compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from Cannabis extracts” in the table of medicines in the Narcotics Act. The suspension will remain in effect until 24th October, the day on which the TAR is expected to rule on the legitimacy of the decree.
5th October 2023: Italy: The Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) has suspended the decree that places “the compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from Cannabis extracts” in the table of medicines in the Narcotics Act until 24th October, local media reports. The ruling has not been published yet.
20th September 2023: Italy: The decree that places “the compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from Cannabis extracts” in the table of medicines in the Narcotics Act enters into force today (20th September). An industry association and a law firm have already decided to appeal against the Ministry of Health decree before the Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR).
13th September 2023: Italy: Industry association Imprenditori Canapa Italia (ICI) has decided to appeal the Ministry of Health decree that classifies “compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from cannabis extracts” as medicinal products under the Narcotics Act set to take effect on 20th September 2023. The appeal has yet to be presented before the Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR).
7th September 2023: Italy: The industry association Canapa Sativa Italia sent a formal request to the minister of health to repeal the decree that classified “compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from cannabis extracts” as medicinal products under the Narcotics Act. The decree, originally implemented in 2020, was temporarily suspended in October of the same year due to strong protests from industry associations. However, the current government coalition, composed of far-right parties, holds a more stringent stance on cannabis than the 2020 government. CannIntelligence, therefore, does not anticipate that Canapa Sativa Italia’s formal request will see any significant results.
22nd August 2023: Italy: The Ministry of Health has issued a decree that revokes the suspension of the entry into force of the Decree 1st October 2020 (20A05476), which places "the compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from Cannabis extracts" in the table of medicines in the Narcotics Act. The decree was enacted in view of the launch of Epidyolex in Italy towards the end of 2020, but was suspended in October 2020 following vigorous protests from industry associations. However, the decree does not classify plant-based or synthetic CBD as a narcotic. The implications of the decree for CBD-containing oils derived from hemp remain uncertain, though it is highly likely they will be categorised as narcotics due to the vague language of the decree. It is also likely that industry associations will challenge the decree before the administrative court. This decision by the minister of health underscores the restrictive stance of the current far-right government coalition towards both CBD and cannabis.
31st July 2023: Italy: The Ministry of Health has made the decision to classify hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHCP) and hexahydrocannabinol acetate (HHCO) as narcotics. The ban entered into force on 28th July.
23rd June 2023: Italy: The government withdrew the amendment proposed for Bill 1038 which sought to extend tobacco legislation to cover the parts of the hemp plant that can be smoked or heated for inhalation, local media reports. The proposal to regulate hemp products that can be smoked or inhaled may be reintroduced in a different bill.

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