Marijuana Moment
A bill to legalize medical marijuana in Ukraine has cleared a key legislative hurdle, advancing through committee and now awaiting final passage by the country’s parliament.
After receiving initial consideration in July, the cannabis legislation was finalized and approved in the National Health, Medical Care and Health Insurance Committee on Tuesday. It is now expected to receive final approval in the unicameral legislature, known as the Verkhovna Rada, before potentially going to the president.
The bill would create a national medical marijuana program to provide access to patients with conditions such as cancer or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from war—a proposed reform that comes as Ukraine continues to experience violent conflict after Russian invaded the country last year.
Ukrainian MP Olga Stefanyshyna said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that nearly 1,000 amendments were offered before the committee agreed to refer the legislation to second and final reading in the parliament.
Read more
