This Neapolitan startup is producing cannabis oil for your pets

Do pets need weed?

Of course, cannabis oil is not meant as a form of entertainment for pets, but as treatment for specific conditions, such as rheumatism, arthritis and post-op pain (such as presents, for instance, after spaying or neutering). Weedentity products are also marketed as a cure for anxiety and depression in dogs, particularly rescue dogs that come from shelters and that struggle to adapt to their new life and are uncomfortable or scared around humans or other dogs. It should be noted that the percentage of CBD contained in these products (about 5%) does not have psychoactive effects on pets in the way that recreational marijuana has on humans and is not addictive. They are only intended to have a relaxing effect on scared or stressed animals and to relieve pain in specific situations.

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The legal framework

The legal shift that allowed Weedentity to be founded happened in Italy in 2016, when cannabis sativa-based products containing next to no Thc (the main psychoactive principle of marijuana) were legalized. Medical marijuana startups have been moving their first tentative steps in Italy since then. Italy’s industrial hemp production has been flourishing over the past two years and the so-called “cannabis-light” is proving an extremely profitable business. It is important to notice that the active ingredient in the products that are made from this particular variety of cannabis is not Thc (the one that gets you high), but CBD, which only has soothing and relaxing effects, rather than psychotropic ones.

What about drug testing?

But surely drugs must be tested for decades, before they can legally be sold? If this is your objection, you are entirely right: this is in fact the case and nothing has changed on that front. Then how can Weedentity market its products after a mere two years since the law was passed? That’s easily answered: because such products are not considered to be drugs and are best filed under “aromatherapy”. All products and raw materials are analysed and tested twice: once by the Swiss labs in which they are produced and once by State-certified labs in Italy, in order to make sure that they comply with the current regulations. The first study in this field was completed by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, but it focused mostly on perceived safety and efficacy. Over 600 pet owners were interviewed and 80% of them declared that they felt safe using cannabis-based products to treat their conditions such as arthritis or anxiety in their pets.

The future of the Italian cannabis industry

While Italy doesn’t seem anywhere near the kind of debate that led to the recent legalisation of recreational marijuana in California and Canada, the existing laws offer enough leeway for entrepreneurs to invest safely in this industry. From edibles to medical drugs, from clothes to gadgets, a whole market is being created, as consumers that would otherwise have been inactive or acquired those specific goods abroad are finally able to purchase them locally.

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