Ukraine moves to legalize medical marijuana to help treat trauma of war

Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday adopted a new law legalizing medical marijuana to help treat PTSD and oncological diseases acquired as a result of war, according to the official website of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.

Access to medical marijuana as treatment for war-related conditions has garnered momentum recently, as the country approaches nearly two years since Russia launched its invasion of the country.

The law was adopted with 248 votes in favor, 16 votes against, 33 abstentions and 40 members not voting. The new law will only take effect after six months.

The law would regulate “the circulation of hemp plants (Cannabis) for medical, industrial purposes, scientific and scientific-technical activities to create conditions for expanding patient access to the necessary treatment of oncological diseases and post-traumatic stress disorders, received as a result of the war,” according to the final version of the bill.

The parliament’s chair, Ruslan Stefanchuk, said, “The list of conditions and ways of using cannabis medicines will be determined by the Ministry of Health.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for greater access to medical marijuana as treatment for war-related conditions. In June 2023, he addressed his country’s parliament in calling for the drug’s legalizing.

“We must finally fairly legalize cannabis-based medicines for all those who need them, with appropriate scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production,” Zelensky said, according to translation of local press.

“All the world’s best practices, all the most effective policies, all the solutions, no matter how difficult or unusual they may seem to us, must be applied to Ukraine so that Ukrainians, all out citizens, do not have to endure the pain, stress and trauma of war,” Zelensky added.

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