The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Human Rights together with public organizations prepared a bill on the legalization of cannabis in medicine and science. This was announced by the representative of public organization Ukrainian Association of Medical Cannabis Hennadiy Shabas at the press conference in Kyiv, as Interfax-Ukraine reported.
“After the petition on legalization of medical cannabis gathered the necessary 25,000 votes, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Human Rights considered it. They said they have been preparing the draft law and turned to us for help. The issue will be solved. I think that this year, the law will be out,” he said.
The scientific advisor of the Farmak pharmaceutical company Vitaliy Usenko noted the readiness of Ukrainian pharmaceutical producers to develop medicine based on medical cannabis.
“if there are changes in Ukrainian legislation, it is possible to prepare medicine with medical cannabis. We can prepare such medicine and introduce them in clinical practice. They will be Botanical Medicines,” he said.
Earlier, the petition to legalize medical cannabis, which was registered on January 30 on parliament’s website gathered 25,000 votes. 20 public organizations supported the petition. Ukraine’s Health Minister Ulyana Suprun called to support this petition.
During 42 days the petition gathered all the necessary votes for it to be considered by the Verkhovna Rada. The petition states the requirement to legally establish procedure for patients to obtain medicine with cannabis for treating chronic pain, epilepsy, anorexia, PTS, immune system diseases, arthritis and rheumatism, asthma, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, Huntington's disease, herpes, stomach ulcers, weight loss during AIDS, diabetic neuropathy, various forms of sclerosis and many other serious illnesses.
Earlier, the European Parliament urged EU member countries to conduct research on the use of medical cannabis - and to create unified regulations for all member countries. It is noted that several European countries allowed the use of certain kinds of cannabis or cannabinoids for medical purpose; some countries still consider opportunities for submitting changes to the legal framework.
Unlike regular cannabis, medical cannabis contains cannabinoids. It has no psychoactive effects, working as a painkiller and a sedative. Medical cannabis can be administered through a variety of methods, including capsules, lozenges, tinctures, dermal patches, oral or dermal sprays, cannabis edibles, and vaporizing or smoking dried buds. Synthetic cannabinoids are available for prescription use in some countries, such as dronabinol and nabilone.
