Russian war could result in Ukraine having to legalize marijuana

The Russian war has impacted the mental health of many Ukrainians, which could push the country to legalize medical marijuana.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Health Minister Viktor Liashko wrote on Facebook that the cabinet had approved a bill legalizing medicinal cannabis, allowing the drug to treat a variety of conditions, including trauma caused by war.

“We understand the negative impact of war on mental health. We understand the number of people who need medical treatment as a result of this exposure. And we understand there is no time to wait,” the post said.

Photo by John-Mark Smith via Pexels

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According to NPR, the bill will “regulate the proliferation of cannabis plants for medical, industrial, scientific, and scientific-technical activities in order to create the conditions for expanding patient access to necessary treatment for cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from war.”

Liashko’s post explains some of the benefits of cannabis use, including that it can help treat and prevent a variety of conditions including PTSD, sleep disorders and neurological disorders.

According to The Kyiv Post, the bill will now go to parliament, where it will need at least 226 votes to pass. The bill is a revised version of an earlier bill that was defeated last year and which lawmakers believe will now find more support due to the country’s ongoing struggle with Russia.

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While recreational cannabis remains illegal in Ukraine, the country is slowly moving towards legalizing the medicinal use of the plant. According to a 2020 poll, 65% of Ukraine’s population supports the use of medicinal cannabis, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy campaigned and openly supported cannabis legislation.

Despite the fact that the bill regulating medicinal cannabis was rejected in the recent past, the country has legalized the use of certain medicinal cannabis products.