The process of legalizing medical cannabis in Ukraine is moving forward.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the bill on legalizing medical cannabis at the first reading in July 2023. Bill №7457, “On regulating the circulation of Cannabis genus plants for medical, industrial, scientific, and scientific-technical purposes,” received public support from the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) and the Ministry of Veterans.

At the October 10, 2023 meeting, the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on National Health, Medical Assistance, and Medical Insurance recommended adopting this bill and allowed it for a second reading. The Committee processed over 800 amendments to the bill and approved it for the second reading.

The bill aims to create a mechanism for the controlled use of cannabis in medicine and science. Patients with cancer and other diseases will have the opportunity to access necessary treatment. The bill prohibits the use of cannabis and its processed products for recreational use. Medicines based on medical cannabis will be dispensed strictly by a doctor’s prescription, electronically, according to medical indications. Every plant, every batch of processed products, a unit of packaged product, and medicine packaging will be marked with a QR code. Cultivation of plants can be carried out by legal entities under proper conditions in an enclosed ground with round-the-clock video surveillance and access to its data by the National Police in real-time.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed support for the process of legalizing medical cannabis in Ukraine, especially in light of military aggression from Russia. After the second reading, the next step will be the parliament’s vote on adopting the bill. If the bill passes this stage, it will be forwarded to the President for signature.

The second reading of the bill in the Parliament of Ukraine is a stage where the bill’s details are discussed through articles, and proposals for amendments to the text of the law are accepted or rejected. Currently, the bill is at the stage where it needs just one more vote from the total composition of parliament before it will be forwarded to the President.