Your latest cannabis business info from Europe

Your latest cannabis business info from Europe

2023-12-11

Ukraine: lawmakers struggle with medical cannabis legalisation

Ukrainian lawmakers struggle with medical cannabis legalisation

Legalisation of medical cannabis in Ukraine to help traumatised veterans cope with their condition is met with strong resistance in the parliament. In order to cope with the trauma of battle, many Ukrainian soldiers have turned to cannabis, especially those who are suffering from “phantom pain” due to amputated limbs. President Volodymyr Zelensky supports the legalisation movement, which aims to relieve the increasing number of soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Present obstacles

The draft bill has run into problems despite its remarkable goals. Legislators in opposition have proposed adjustments, which Ukrainians could expect for a second reading in November. They have expressed worry that these changes could compromise the key provisions of the bill. As it stands, the proposal allows the use of cannabis-derived medications. However, it does not legalise cannabis or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant’s main ingredient.

Drugs fall into two categories under Ukrainian law. These are illicit hard narcotics and their derivatives for therapeutic use. If the current draft law is approved, it would be necessary to make more changes every time a new product made from cannabis is released, which would impede market expansion and research. Farmers might grow cannabis, but selling it would remain illegal, maintaining a growing black market.

Medical community and public opinion

On the effectiveness of cannabis in treating PTSD, the scientific community is still not agreeable. Some, like former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, advocate for a sensible strategy that would legalise medical cannabis under strict regulation. However, others are afraid of unregulated manufacturing and consumption. According to reports, over 90% of people suffer from PTSD symptoms. Thus, for millions of Ukrainians, the legalisation debate is crucial.

President Zelensky supports the legalisation of cannabis-based medications, stressing the importance of open and regulated Ukrainian production. By offering a legal route for cannabis therapies, the draft bill seeks to address the current black market in addition to meeting the medical needs of veterans.

Confusion surrounding the draft daw

Supporters of legislation are not happy about the law’s current wording either. Critics believe that confusion might block sales, domestic production, and research. There is also uncertainty over cannabis’s classification. If the law stays as it is, cannabis may continue to exists in classification as a hard substance and be prohibit.

There is a difficult fight in parliament to legalise cannabis for veterans in Ukraine. Although it is obvious that the goal is to help individuals with PTSD, there has been disagreement and uncertainty around the writing and possible revisions. The draft law’s future is still unknown as legislators debate different research on cannabis’s effectiveness. It is clear that an open, well-regulated framework is needed, one that attends to veterans’ medical needs without maintaining the illegal market for cannabis therapies.

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