Update on legalizing medical cannabis in Ukraine
Legalizing medical cannabis can change the lives of seriously ill people and make it easier for palliative patients
The National Health Committee of Ukrainian Parliament supported the bill on the legalization of medical cannabis for the second reading. People's deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported this. The next stage of the cannabis legalization process is a vote by the Parliament on the adoption of the relevant draft law as a whole.
In July, the parliament in the first reading supported the government's bill on the legalization of medical cannabis. 268 people's representatives voted for its adoption. The draft law provides permission for the use for medical purposes of medicines that were made from medical cannabis. According to one of the authors of the bill, People's Deputy Olga Stefanyshina, currently in Ukraine at least 6 million people with mental injuries and disorders need similar treatment. In particular, it is about wounded servicemen.
Stefanyshyn said that it is planned that medical cannabis will be grown only indoors - in greenhouses, with all required equipment as well as with video surveillance. A barcode will be attached to each plant.
A production license will cost, like the production of alcohol and tobacco products, about 800 hUAH. The deputy also emphasized that the punishment for the illegal use, cultivation, resale of medical cannabis will be similar to the punishment for the sale of drugs.
The current position of the Ministry of Social Policy, the position of the National Health Committee, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine and the President of Ukraine: "All the best world practices, solutions, no matter how difficult or unusual they may be, should be applied in Ukraine, so that all Ukrainian citizens do not have to endure the pain, stress and trauma of war".