In Ukraine, facilitating access to cannabis for therapeutic use against war-triggered post-traumatic stress
While the war rages in the country, Ukrainian MPs continue their work and try to prepare for the aftermath. On July 13, a bill creating a legal cannabis industry for medical use was passed in first reading by Parliament. A similar law failed to convince politicians in 2019, but the war changes the game, explain Politico.
“War brings pain closer to all categories of the population” — not just serious illnesses, a Ukrainian activist told US media. In September 2022, a study shared by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health claimed that 57% of Ukrainians were at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder due to the war started by Moscow in February 2022.
So far, cannabis-based treatments are available for limited uses and are only imported, with very controlled procedures. The closing of borders because of the fighting therefore threatens supplies. The law presented to Parliament establishes a licensing system for the cultivation of cannabis directly in Ukraine, and allows authorized persons to purchase, transport, store and distribute cannabis-based medicines, which doctors can prescribe.
However, the law continues to consider cannabis a prohibited substance, complicating research and development. In addition, if the text authorizes the cultivation of cannabis, it prohibits the import of raw components until 2028, notes Politico. With the effect of delaying the production of cannabis for medical use until the national supply chain is in working order, which could take several years, according to a Ukrainian deputy to the American media. A second reading of the bill is scheduled for the fall.