By Jon Hiltz
In a fascinating mix of love and war, machines and organics, the Italian army has been given the mission to grow the best weed possible for its citizens.
The country’s government announced in September of 2014 that the army would oversee the large-scale cultivation of cannabis in an effort cut prices to 8 Euros per gram to drive affordable access for Italy’s MMJ patients, many of whom are veterans.
Colonel Antonio Medica is in charge of the military base in Florence and its 135 plants.
“My mission is to produce the best-quality cannabis on an industrial scale at a low price,” Medica told The Times. The Italian army has been given this important responsibility because of its long history in securely handling pharmaceuticals for wounded soldiers.
The high-quality standards typically associated with Italian goods do not appear lost on Italian cannabis. The Italian police had seized some marijuana and offered it to the army, but they turned it down because it was not quality chiba, according to the military’s “experts.”
Marijuana is currently a hot topic in the historic European nation. A bill designed to decriminalize pot and even license and sell it recreationally is on the table for debate in September.
In the meantime, it is fascinating to watch how things have changed over the years and how far society has come in regards to the prohibition of cannabis. There is still a long road ahead, but witnessing the Colonel of an army say that their mission is to grow the best marijuana possible, probably makes every hippie who lived through the sixties smile from ear to ear.
