(LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL CANNABIS IN UKRAINE CAN HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY 'WAR TRAUMA' WITH RUSSIA)
Updated: Apr 6
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 pain, the stress and trauma of war," according to one translation.
"In particular, we must finally legalize cannabis medicines equitably for all who need them, with proper scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production," he said, as Ukrainska Pravda first reported.
The president pointed out that access to medical cannabis could be a treatment option for citizens who endured more than a year of intensive conflict after Russia's invasion of the country in February 2022.
During his presidential campaign, Zelensky also expressed support for the legalization of medical cannabis, saying in 2019 that he would find it "normal" to allow people to have access to cannabis "droplets," 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 conditions for expanding patients' access to the necessary treatment of cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from war."
"We understand the negative consequences of war on mental health," he said. "We understand the number of people who will need medical treatment because of this impact. And we understand that there is no time to lose."
This change in policy would put Ukraine in total opposition to its long-time aggressor, Russia, which has taken a particularly strong stance on the reform of the European Union.
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