Ukrainian army to employ medical marijuana after new law, says defence ministry
On February 21, 2024, Natalia Kalmykova, the Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence, and Roman Isajenko, the head of the State Service for Medicinal Products and Drug Controls, entered into a memorandum of partnership and cooperation.
What does this mean in reality? Representatives of the Ministry of Defence are joining a working group assigned to consider the approving military units for the use of intoxicating substances, psychotropic substances, and precursors for medical aid provision, as announced on the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine's website.
Precursors are either natural or synthetic substances which can be converted into drugs.
Last week, the first permit to handle drugs and precursors in combat conditions was granted. This licence authorises regular procurement of necessary drugs for medical treatment of wounded soldiers in the prehospital phase - Natalia Kalmykova
According to the Deputy Minister of Defence, strengthening cooperation with the State Medical Service will facilitate a smoother introduction of the new system and control drug trafficking.
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The memorandum was signed just a few days after Volodymyr Zelensky sanctioned a law on the legalisation of medical marijuana. The President of Ukraine signed the law on February 13.
A perusal of the Ukrainian government's website reveals the new law's objective is to extend access to much-needed treatment for patients suffering from cancers and post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from war.
The recreational use of marijuana in Ukraine will remain a criminal offense, liable to police action. Only people with the necessary permits can cultivate marijuana. Medicines based on medical marijuana can only be procured with an electronic prescription.
