Rada passes at first reading draft law on legalization of medical cannabis

Yaroslav Zhelezniak, MP from the Holos parliamentary faction, posted on Telegram.

According to him, 268 MPs voted in favor of the adoption of the draft law "On regulating the circulation of cannabis plants for medical, industrial purposes, research, and scientific and technical activities to create conditions for expanding patient access to the necessary treatment of oncological diseases and post-traumatic stress disorders obtained due to war" (No. 7457).

According to the draft law, the development of new narcotics or psychotropic substances of medical cannabis is planned to be allowed only for their use for medical purposes or for research and scientific and technical activities.

Healthcare institutions of all forms of ownership and individual entrepreneurs who have a license for medical practice will have the opportunity to purchase, transport, store, dispense, use, and destroy narcotic drugs.

In turn, activities involving the use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in research, scientific and technical activities, and educational activities will be allowed to legal entities of all forms of ownership if they have a license for this type of activity in accordance with the procedure established by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Doctors will have the right to prescribe drugs with cannabis. Such drugs will be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In addition, people who have a prescription from a doctor and a document confirming the diagnosis will be able to enter Ukraine or leave the country with cannabis-based medicines in small quantities.

The percentage of the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol in the dry mass of cannabis for medical purposes shall be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The National Police of Ukraine will control the cultivation and circulation of medical cannabis.

The adoption of the law is expected to strengthen guarantees of access to necessary medical services and medicines for patients who need cannabis-based medicines.