Ukraine Government Currently Revising Bill To Legalize Medical Cannabis

This year, another country is hopping aboard the medical cannabis train. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is expected to adopt a bill on the legalization of medical cannabis initiated by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Mykhailo Radutskyi is the MP from the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health, Medical Assistance, and Medical Insurance. He spoke with Ukrinform during an interview regarding the country’s future concerning medical cannabis.

Radutskyi says the government bill to legalize medical cannabis has already been “published for discussion.” He says this document will be registered and given to their committee, in which he hopes its “members will support it.”

Radutskyi also explained that the government bill contradicted the bill proposed by the committee members, which was then sent back for revision. The aspect that needed revising was strengthening the control of the National Police of Ukraine of the circulation of cannabis.

Furthermore, Radutskyi mentioned that the wording of the bill initiated by the Cabinet of Ministers defines the essence of medical cannabis and the process for importation more clearly.

During his interview with Ukrinform, the politician stressed that adopting the relevant legislation to legalize medical cannabis would provide more than two million Ukrainian patients with access to the proper medicine for their specific conditions.

However, Radutskyi also stressed that in no way is Ukraine legalizing the plant for recreational adult use. Apparently, there were “many narratives in society” that had the public believe cannabis would be recreationally legal.

He says that the bill sent for revision, and the government’s bill doesn’t have a “single world about drug legalization,” adding that “it’s just medical cannabis.” With this information in mind, there’s no current prediction for when or if Ukraine would consider legalizing cannabis on a recreational level.

In his concluding words in the interview, Radutskyi expressed that he hopes the Verkhovna Rada will adopt the new bill this year.