There is no poppy cultivation to speak of in the Kingdom of Italy; from the rare
plants, growing here and there, the fresh capaules are taken, dried and used for medical purposes.
No opium, morphine, or derivates therefrom, are manufactured in the country which
has no export of these drugs.
The statistics for for import show no special return of opium, morphine and derivates,
such commodities coming under the heading "Poison"; however, it is roughly estimated that
about 2080 kilogrammes of opium were imported during the year 1908, same being for
purely pharmaceutical use.
The said quantity of opium in respect to the population of the kingdom, 33 millions
inhabitants, gives an average, per head and pro year, of grammes 0.063, or say one grain.
Imports of morphine and derivates may by reckoned at a few hundred kilogrammes
as imported during the year 1908.
There are, in Italy, no special laws regarding the importation, or the use, of opium
and derivates which are governed by the law of December 22nd 1888, No. 5849, and
respective regulations, on the order of Administration and Sanitary Assistance of the
Kingdom.
In virtue of this law, the sale and trade of medicines, poison, etc., are strictly under the
supervision of the proper authority and any person, other than that duly authorized,
manufacturing, selling, or otherwise distributing poison is punished with a fine of 500 lire or
with imprisonment extensible to one year.
Chemists, druggists and manufacturers of chemical products, authorized to store
poison, and all such persons who, by reason of their profession, or their art, are authorized to
use same, are obliged, under the law, to label all such parcels with the distinct specification of
"Poison" and to keep them under lock and key.
Any person authorized to sell poison must keep a register, to be presented on request
of the authorities, wherein the quantity and quality of poison sold, the date of sale, the
name, prefix, and domicile of the buyer, shall be entered.
In concluding this brief report, it may be of interest to mention that com. 3rd. of
Article 27 of the law above referred to, contemplates a fine of not less than 200 lire for any
one selling or distributing, substances or preparations, advertised .as remedies, or secret
specifics, without first having submitted same to the approbation of the Superior Council of
Health; the same punishment is inflicted to whoever sells, or distributes, remedies attributing
to same, on labels or through advertisements to the public, compositions different from thar
which they have and having special therapeutic properties not recognized by the Superiot
Council aforesaid.