Ukrainian President Zelensky: It's time to approve medical cannabis
In a speech to the Ukrainian Parliament on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that "all the best practices in the world, all the most effective policies, all the solutions, no matter how difficult or unusual they may seem to us, must be applied in Ukraine so that Ukrainians, all our citizens, do not have to endure the pain, stress and trauma of war,” according to one translation.
"In particular, we must finally legalize cannabis medicines fairly for everyone who needs them, with proper scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production," he said, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
Ukraine's president calls for the legalization of medical marijuana to help Ukrainians overcome their traumas in the war between them and Russia.
In a speech to the Ukrainian Parliament on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that "all the best practices in the world, all the most effective policies, all the solutions, no matter how difficult or unusual they may seem to us, must be applied in Ukraine so that Ukrainians, all our citizens, do not have to endure the pain, stress and trauma of war,” according to one translation.
"In particular, we must finally legalize cannabis medicines fairly for everyone who needs them, with proper scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production," he said, as Ukrainska Pravda has said. first reported.
The president stressed that access to medical cannabis could be a therapeutic option for citizens who endured more than a year of intense conflict after Russia invaded the country in February 2022.
During his presidential campaign, Mr. Zelensky also voiced his support for the legalization of medical cannabis, saying in 2019 that he would find it “normal” to allow people access to “droplets” of cannabis, which could be a reference to marijuana tinctures.
Zelensky's cabinet has taken steps to legalize medical cannabis, approving a reform bill last year that has yet to be passed by parliament.
Health Minister Viktor Liashko said the bill would allow "the circulation of cannabis plants for medical, industrial, scientific and technical-scientific purposes, in order to create the conditions for expanding access for patients to the necessary treatment of cancer and post-traumatic disorders resulting from the war”.
"We understand the negative consequences of war on mental health," he said. “We understand the number of people who will need medical treatment due to this impact. And we understand that there is no time to waste”.
This change in policy would put Ukraine in complete opposition to its long-standing aggressor, Russia, which has taken a particularly tough stance on EU reform.
