Italian Health Ministry Reverses Ruling to Schedule CBD Narcotic

Italy’s Ministry of Health made a rapid U-turn on a decree that had intended to classify CBD as a narcotic, which would have effectively put the brakes on the sale of non-medicinal CBD in supplements and food. The reversal comes after a wave of objections from hemp associations in Europe, including the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) and Federcanapa. The situation appears to have arisen from confusion and highlights the need for greater education around the difference between high-dose CBD medicines, such as the one used to treat severe epilepsies, Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, and lower dose inclusion of CBD for therapeutic and cosmetic use. The showdown has a silver lining however, as the EIHA and Italian health ministry have now formed a working group to clearly define the status of CBD.  Source: La Stampa