Medical cannabis legalization has officially come into force in Ukraine amid an ongoing war with Vladimir Putin’s military forces.
The plant’s new status within the nation became official on Aug. 16 following approval from Ukraine’s parliament last December. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who signed legislation permitting the move in February, voiced his satisfaction about the decision in a speech to parliament members at the end of June.
“We must finally fairly legalize cannabis-based medicines for all those who need them, with appropriate scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production,” Zelensky said during the address.
Patients with severe illnesses and PTSD will now be able to access medical bud with a prescription. Cannabis, along with its extracts, resins and tinctures have been removed from the list of the country’s dangerous substances.
“This is a significant step forward in providing care to patients who need specific treatment,” the nation’s Ministry of Health said Friday.
🇺🇦: Medical #Cannabis Use Law Enters Force in Ukraine https://t.co/Ov0hy8qczW pic.twitter.com/1ZR5AW3gbl
— Deepak Anand (@_deepakanand) August 16, 2024
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Several uses, Ministry of Health says
The Ukrainian ministry has noted that cannabis can aid people suffering from more than 50 different conditions.
These include Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, arthritis and epilepsy. Moreover, use of medical cannabis is only intended for those who have tried conventional treatment options unsuccessfully, the government agency says.
“Medical cannabis medicines will be manufactured in a pharmacy setting and prescribed to patients for whom conventional medicines have no therapeutic effect or cause adverse reactions that are poorly tolerated,” the ministry said in a bulletin.
The Ukrainian Medical Cannabis Association is hosting a forum today about the new milestone.
Ukrainian lawmaker Mariia Mezentseva said last winter that about six million citizens were in need of medical cannabis.
In addition, a 2021 survey from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 65 per cent of Ukrainians supported legalizing medical pot. This statistic shows what public opinion was like in Ukraine leading up to the new changes.
Industrial hemp cultivation has been a prevalent industry in Ukraine for hundreds of years.
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