Italy wants its army to grow cheap marijuana from next year in a bid to discourage medicinal users from funding illegal street dealers.

A high-security military compound lab is earmarked for growing cannabis for the national healthcare system despite criticism from leading political and religious figures.

Since the medical use of marijuana was legalised last year, the government have been on the hunt to keep costs down as few people could afford to sign up for the pharmacy scheme.

Officials hope that the cultivation experiment in Florence would offer safe, legal and affordable pain relief to citizens of a country that strongly opposes drug use.

The price of pharmacy-bought weed imported from Holland currently costs up to 10 times as much as street prices at around 38 euros per gram.

First legal cannabis sales in Washington Show all 10 1 /10 First legal cannabis sales in Washington First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores Kevin Nelson, of Bellingham, Wash., holds a sign that reads "Drug War Ends Here," outside Top Shelf Cannabis, Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Bellingham, Wash. on the first day of legal pot sales in the state. Nelson says he is a long-time activist opposing drug laws, particularly those targeting marijuana users, and he he feels the legalization of marijuana will lead to less crowded jails and be less of a burden on the court system. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores A pamphlet titled "Marijuana Use in Washington State," is displayed at the Cannabis City recreational marijuana shop in Seattle. The store will be the first and only store in Seattle to initially sell recreational marijuana when legal sales begin on Tuesday, 8 July, 2014. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores Customers shop for marijuana at Top Shelf Cannabis, a retail marijuana store. Top Shelf Cannabis was the first retail marijuana store to open today in Washington state, nearly a year and a half after the state's voters chose to legalize marijuana. David Ryder/Getty Images First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores Cale Holdsworth, in town from Kansas to visit family, celebrates after purchasing two grams of marijuana strain "OG's Pearl" for $26.50 at Top Shelf Cannabis, a retail marijuana store David Ryder/Getty Images First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores A sign noting the Washington state law that prohibits opening packages that contain marijuana or marijuana-infused products in public rests on a glass case displaying bongs for sale at the recreational marijuana store Cannabis City AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores Brian Travino, a student at Western Washington University wears a Washington state flag, as he waits with other customers to purchase recreational marijuana at Top Shelf Cannabis in Bellingham, Wash., in the first half-hour of legal sales in the state. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores Amber McGowan, left, and Krystal Klacsan, right, work at the recreational marijuana store Cannabis City in Seattle to apply a state-mandated frosted film to the front of a display case that will contain pot varieties when legal sales begin on Tuesday, July 8, 2014. The store will be the first and only store in Seattle to initially sell recreational marijuana on Tuesday. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores A customer, who declined to give his name, sniffs a strain of recreational marijuana at Top Shelf Cannabis, Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Bellingham, Wash., during the first half-hour of legal sales in the states. Customers cannot be given samples, but are allowed to use "sniff jars" to help make their purchasing decisions. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores Julian Rodriguez, right, of Everson, Wash., holds his two-gram packet of recreational marijuana outside Top Shelf Cannabis, Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Bellingham, Wash., on the first day of legal sales. At left is Tom Beckley, the owner of the store. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren First legal cannabis sales in Washington Washington's cannabis stores The price of two grams of a strain of marijuana named "Sweet Lafayette," is displayed at Top Shelf Cannabis, Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Bellingham, Wash., on the first day of legal sales of recreational marijuana in the state AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Clothing designer Elisa Bertero, 36, makes marijuana tea or inhales it with a vapouriser to cope with joint and muscle pain caused by fibromyalgia.

She said: "For a long time I took it every day. It was the only thing that allowed me to get out of bed in the morning."

Pharmacy cannabis costs are not covered by the state, so those who cannot afford the prices feel forced to buy the drug on the streets.

Although she now only takes it a few times a week, Bertero says she often has to pay an illegal dealer as it is cheaper.

"When I have the money, I buy it from the pharmacy but, since I'm not a millionaire, I often arrange to buy it for 5 euros a gram," she added.

Despite plans to offer low-cost cannabis, or even providing it for free, health authorities are still expecting low numbers due to a drug stigma in the predominately Catholic country.

A mask of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi smoking a joint during the Million Marijuana March in Rome, 2009 (GETTY)

Senator and anti-drug campaigner Carlo Giovanardi said he wants to make sure that "curing sick people does not become an excuse to expand the use of the substance".

Legislation would lead to "a society of zombies," he added.

Umberto Veronesi, former health minister and one of the top cancer doctors in Italy, believes that over time the scheme could prove popular once medical-use weed is more socially accepted.

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Cannabis "is a very effective medicine, but since it's also a drug... there's always fear to use it," he said.

"The same thing happened with morphine, which for years no one would prescribe for the poor patients who were suffering terribly."

Laws against marijuana in Italy are severe, as possessing or growing it are crimes that could lead to imprisonment.

A law that tripled sentences for selling, cultivating and possessing cannabis was overturned in February after it was brought in by the then-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in 2006.

Politician Maurizio Gasparri said the ruling was "a big mistake that risks promoting dealing and consuming drugs."