The Verkhovna Rada voted in favor of the draft law on medical cannabis in the first reading

The Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) supported draft law No. 7457 on the legalization of medical cannabis in the first reading. 268 MPs voted pro.

The draft law proposes to use cannabis, cannabis resin, extracts and tinctures of cannabis for medical, industrial purposes, for scientific and scientific and technical activities. The draft law also proposes to establish clear rules for the production and circulation of cannabis for medical purposes, as France, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Slovakia and other countries have already done.

The head of the Verkhovna Radaʼs committee on health care Mykhailo Radutsky noted that the document provides for strict control by the National Police over the cultivation, production and sale of cannabis-based drugs.

At least two million Ukrainians need treatment with drugs based on medical cannabis. They are used in the treatment of chronic pain, epilepsy, anorexia, post-traumatic syndrome, diseases of the immune system, arthritis and rheumatism, asthma, Alzheimerʼs and Parkinsonʼs diseases, and many other serious diseases. In Ukraine, in particular, wounded and military personnel with PTSD need such treatment.

Wounded soldiers will be able to use medical cannabis as prescribed by a doctor as an analgesic for severe physical and phantom pain in the area of injury. Also, drugs based on medical cannabis soften unpleasant, traumatic memories from the front, which reduces the intensity of PTSD manifestations.

• In April 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers legalized the use of some cannabis-based drugs for medical purposes — Nabilone and Nabiximols.