After a failed attempt in the Parliament to reverse the reform, a bill legalizing medical marijuana has been “unblocked”. It can now be sent to the President’s desk.
The medical cannabis bill was approved by lawmakers last month. However, the Batkivshchyna opposition party blocked it using a procedural trick. They forced the consideration of a measure to repeal the measure. This resolution was defeated this week with only 25 votes out of 226 required.
The bill was officially sent to President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, who is in favor of the reform.
The development was announced by MP Yaroslav Zelezniak, of the Holos Party, on Telegram Tuesday. Ukrinform has reported.
The measure passed with 248 votes, despite the fact that opponents tried to stop the bill before by submitting hundreds of amendments.
The bill, which is headed to the president, would legalize medical marijuana for patients suffering from severe illnesses or post-traumatic disorder (PTSD), resulting from ongoing conflicts with Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine almost two years ago.
The legislation, as it was introduced, only lists war-borne PTSD and cancer as conditions that medical cannabis can be prescribed to patients. However the chairperson of the health panel said in July the lawmakers hear from patients every day with other illnesses like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.
The bill changes marijuana’s status from strictly forbidden under List I of the drug code to being available medically with a prescription in List II.
The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs will be responsible for regulating cannabis processing and cultivation operations. The National Police and State Agency on Medicines are also responsible for the oversight and enforcement of cannabis distribution.
To ensure patient access, this measure allows the importation of raw cannabis material from other countries.
Zelensky for his part expressed support for medical cannabis legalization in June . He stated in an address before the parliament that, “all of the best practices in the world, all of the most effective policies and all solutions, regardless of how difficult or uncommon they may appear to us, should be applied to Ukraine in order to prevent Ukrainians from having to suffer the stress, pain and trauma caused by war.”
He said: “We must, in particular, legalize cannabis-based medicine for all who need it, with scientific research that is appropriate and controlled Ukrainian production.”
Six months after Zelensky’s signature, the law will come into effect.
Zelensky, during his presidential campaign, also expressed support for the legalization of medical cannabis. He said that it would be “normal,” in 2019, to allow access to cannabis “droplets,” a possible reference to marijuana tinctures.
This policy change will put Ukraine in stark contrast with its longtime aggressor Russia. Russia has taken an especially strong position against the reformation of cannabis policy on the international level via the United Nations. The country has condemned Canada’s decision to legalize marijuana across the board.
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Photo by Philip Steffan.
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