The News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged lawmakers in his country to legalize medical marijuana on Wednesday.
“We must finally honestly legalize cannabis-based medicine for everyone who needs it, with the relevant scientific research and controlled Ukrainian manufacturing,” Zelenskyy told Ukraine’s parliament, according to Pravda.
Zelenskyy previously voiced support for the idea during his campaign for president, and last year his government pushed the idea as a way to help people suffering physically and mentally following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Zelenskyy said Ukraine should create Europe’s strongest mental and physical rehabilitation network using global best practices and unusual solutions so Ukrainians can endure the impact of the war, per Pravda.
A proposed bill would allow patients to use medical cannabis to treat over 50 pathological conditions, including war-related post-traumatic stress disorders.
Before the war broke out, Ukraine legalized certain types of medical cannabis products, including two synthetic cannabis-like chemicals and a cannabis extract.
Step Back
Europe has traditionally taken a more conservative approach to marijuana policy, but more countries including the Czech Republic, Germany, and Luxembourg have taken steps toward legalization in recent years. But the continent remains a patchwork of laws, CNBC reported.
