Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially signed a bill to legalize medical marijuana—a step that he and other officials say can help soldiers address physical and mental wounds incurred during the nation’s war with Russia.
About one month after the legislation was “unblocked” from advancing to the president’s desk as an attempt to overturn the reform failed in the country’s parliament, Zelensky gave final approval to the bill on Wednesday.
The law will take effect within six months of being formally published, with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Ministry of Health tasked with developing rules for the program during that time.
Ukraine could start importing marijuana products sooner, after cannabis is moved from strictly prohibited under List I to available for medical use with a prescription under List II of the country’s drug code.
Lawmakers approved the medical cannabis legislation in December, but the opposition Batkivshchyna party used a procedural tactic to block it by forcing consideration of a resolution to repeal the measure. That resolution failed in January, clearing its path to enactment.
Opponents previously tried to derail the marijuana bill by filing hundreds of what critics called “spam” amendments, but that attempt similarly failed, with the measure ultimately passing with 248 votes.
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