Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially signed the country’s medical cannabis legalization bill into law, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s approach to healthcare. According to a report by Reuters, the signing of the bill paves the way for the launch of Ukraine’s national medical cannabis program in approximately six months.
With the bill’s enactment, patients suffering from cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from the ongoing military invasion by Russia will have legal access to medical cannabis. However, lawmakers were reportedly under pressure to include other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine, which supported the proposal, will have the authority to specify additional debilitating diseases and conditions for which medical cannabis can be prescribed.
Under the new law, patients will need a doctor’s prescription to access medical cannabis, while adult-use cannabis remains strictly prohibited. Medical cannabis production and manufacturing in Ukraine will require special licenses, and the law will also allow for the import of cannabis products, including raw materials.
President Zelensky, who advocated for the legalization of medical cannabis during his 2019 presidential election campaign, has lauded the bill’s passage as a step forward for healthcare in Ukraine.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of cannabis as a treatment option for patients suffering from PTSD. In the United States, the vast majority of state-legal medical cannabis programs permit patients with PTSD to access medical cannabis, as noted by the Marijuana Policy Project.
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