Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada may legalize the use of medical marijuana to help the country’s military personnel participate in conflicts. This was reported by Bloomberg.
As noted in the material, many Ukrainian soldiers suffer from battlefield injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this context, discussions began in the country on the legalization of medical marijuana for the treatment of soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
In July 2023, the parliament adopted the relevant bill in the first reading. According to the agency, final discussion on the initiative may also take place at the next meeting of legislators.
The meeting is planned to be held in November this year. However, the publication states that the exact dates of the parliamentary meeting have not yet been announced for security reasons.
“Public support for the initiative is divided: 37% [граждан] They are against, 35% are in favour, according to a survey conducted in July by the Kiev Economic and Political Research Center named after A. Razumkov,” the article emphasizes.
Additionally, some parliamentarians opposed legalizing cannabis for medical purposes. In particular, members of the group led by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko talked about the danger of uncontrolled consumption of the drug.
Despite this, the ruling Servant of the People party insists on passing the bill. Moreover, the current president of the country, Vladimir Zelensky, personally commented on this initiative and pointed out the importance of providing assistance to all soldiers in need.
Previously captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier saidHow drugs are supplied to the army at the front.