In the midst of a devastating war, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling on the nation to legalize medical cannabis.
During a recent address to the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament), President Zelenskyy stated:
“In particular, we must finally honestly legalize cannabis-based medicine for everyone who needs it, [with] the relevant scientific research and controlled Ukrainian manufacturing.”
Zelenskyy called on Ukraine to create the strongest mental and physical rehabilitation sector in Europe, including buiding both building rehabilitation centers and training the relevant personnel. According to the president Ukraine should use all of the world’s best practices and solutions to endure the pain, stress and trauma of war.
Minister of Healthcare Viktor Liashko wrote on Facebook earlier this month that Ukraine’s cabinet had approved a bill “on regulating the circulation of cannabis plants for medical, industrial purposes, scientific and scientific-technical activities to create the conditions for expanding the access of patients to the necessary treatment of cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from war.” It will need at least 226 votes in the Verkhovna Rada to become law.
According to polling released last year, 65% of those in Ukraine support legalizing medical cannabis.
