Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Needs To Legalize Medical Marijuana: Influence Of War With Russia?

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his support for legalizing medical marijuana in the country. 

What happened 

During an address to Ukraine’s parliament (Verkhovna Rada), Zelenskyy said Ukraine should undertake an effort to create the best mental and physical rehabilitation sector in Europe by building centers and educating personnel reported Pravda. 

"In particular, we must finally honestly legalize cannabis-based medicine for everyone who needs it, [with] the relevant scientific research and controlled Ukrainian manufacturing,” Zelensky said. 

Influence Of War With Russia 

Zelenskyy said it is necessary to use all treatments attainable, no matter how unusual they may be as a way of providing Ukrainian citizens with ways to deal with the pain, stress and trauma of war. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Zelenskyy's comments come about a year after the Ukrainian government announced support for the decriminalization of medical marijuana. Last June, Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko confirmed that support.

"The cabinet supported the bill ‘On regulation of circulation of Cannabis genus plants for medical, industrial purposes and scientific purposes and creation of conditions for the expansion of patients’ access to necessary treatment of oncologic conditions and combat-induced post-traumatic stress disorder," Lyashko wrote on his Facebook page at the time.

This is not the first time Ukraine has considered medical marijuana. In April 2021, Ukraine approved THC and CAD-containing substances for medical use only. Those are Dronabinol and Nabiximols.

While some may have thought that the devastating war with Russia would postpone marijuana reform, now it seems that it could actually speed it up.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images from Wikimedia Commons and BestStockFoto on Shutterstock