Tag: ukraine

Ukraine Expands Official Dosages For Medical Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on August 3, 2025. Posted in Policy.

Nearly one year ago, Ukraine’s government officially launched its medical cannabis program. Ukraine’s Parliament first approved medical cannabis reform in December 2023, with President Volodymyr Zelensky signing the measure on February 15th, 2024.

Cannabis resin, extracts, and tinctures became excluded from the list of ‘dangerous substances’ in Ukraine under the new policy after it took effect in August 2024. The production of medical cannabis, the development of medical cannabis therapies, and the distribution of medical cannabis products are tightly regulated in Ukraine.

“In order to implement the Law, the Ministry of Health team, together with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the State Medical Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Police and other executive authorities, have developed by-laws that regulate all processes in detail and will allow the patient to receive medicine from medical cannabis.” Ukraine’s Ministry of Health stated in a news release at the time (translated from Ukrainian to English).

“In order to ensure the cultivation of medical cannabis in Ukraine, Licensing conditions have been developed, which will soon be considered by the Cabinet of Ministers.” the Ministry of Health also stated. “Also, the entire chain of circulation of medical cannabis, from import or cultivation to dispensing to a patient in a pharmacy, will be subject to license control.”

Another major milestone for Ukraine’s emerging medical cannabis industry came in late September 2024, when policymakers and regulators approved a list of 20 qualifying conditions for suffering patients to gain approval for the country’s medical cannabis program. In June 2025, Ukraine approved its first permit for medical cannabis product imports.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Health recently expanded the list of dosages for medical cannabis, which will afford the nation’s approved medical cannabis patients more options for treating their qualifying conditions.

“The Ministry of Health has expanded the List of dosages of medicines that can be manufactured in a pharmacy from the plant substance cannabis.” the Ministry of Health stated in a press release (translated from Ukranian to English).

“The purpose of such changes is to expand the possible options for prescribing cannabis-based medicines, which can be manufactured in a pharmacy, with combination medicines to increase the availability of treatment for patients who need it for medical reasons.” the Ministry also stated. “The updated list includes 14 forms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-based medicines and 2 combined forms (based on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).”

Ukraine Approves Country’s First Medical Cannabis Product Import Permit

Written by Johnny Green on June 7, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Ukraine’s emerging legal medical cannabis industry continues to make strides, with a recent example being the nation’s first-ever approval of a medical cannabis product import permit. The permit’s approval was announced by the State Service of Ukraine on Medicine and Drugs Control.

“On June 2, 2025, the State Medical Service issued the first permit for the right to import medical cannabis substances into the territory of Ukraine.” the government stated in a news release (translated from Ukrainian to English). “The permit was issued for a substance that is registered in Ukraine and included in the State Register of Medicinal Products of Ukraine.”

The import permit announcement comes after Ukraine launched the country’s largest industrial hemp processing plant last month. The Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company’s new facility is located in the Ma’Ryzhany industrial park in the Zhytomyr region and is estimated to be capable of processing up to 14,000 tons of hemp annually.

“Developing our own processing is one of the key tasks of the government’s policy “Made in Ukraine” and part of the national economic idea. We must change the structure of the economy from raw materials to high-tech and increase the production of goods with high added value.” Ukraine’s Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko stated, according to a government press release (translated from Ukrainian to English).

“Restoring the primary processing of hemp trust is one of the key elements for the further revival of industrial hemp, which once made Ukraine a powerful player in the global textile market. The presence of its own domestic raw materials is difficult to overestimate – it is the basis of price competitiveness. In addition, industrial hemp is not just a raw material for textiles, but an ecological and renewable resource for dozens of other industries. And the reconstruction of the textile chain is only the beginning of the great industrial potential that “Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company” is laying today,” stated Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company Director Andriy Mykytiv.

The goal of the industrial park where the new hemp processing facility is located is “to attract businesses working with industrial hemp processing products and create over 700 new jobs. The work of the park will also stimulate farmers to grow industrial hemp in the Zhytomyr region and contribute to the development of a sustainable industrial hemp ecosystem in Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s new industrial hemp processing plant is designed to produce long fiber for textiles and technical fabrics, short fiber for paper, nonwovens, and insulation, and raw material for bioplastics, building materials, and animal bedding.

According to local reporting by UNN, “the eHemp electronic system has been operating in Ukraine since March 10. 38 entities have been registered, 16 of which have sown 1,251 hectares of hemp.”

During a recent presentation at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, leading international cannabis industry economist Beau Whitney, founder of Whitney Economics, provided data demonstrating that the value of the global industrial hemp industry could be as much as $456.2 billion.

Ukraine Launches Nation’s Largest Industrial Hemp Processing Plant

Written by Johnny Green on May 20, 2025. Posted in Business.

Hemp harvests have to be processed before they are incorporated into finished products and shipped to the markets where they will eventually be sold, with some limited exceptions. A nation’s hemp industry will never reach its full potential without proper processing facilities.

With that in mind, Ukraine’s emerging industrial hemp industry passed a major milestone with the recent launch of the nation’s largest hemp processing plant. The Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company’s new facility is located in the Ma’Ryzhany industrial park in the Zhytomyr region and is estimated to be capable of processing up to 14,000 tons of hemp annually.

The launch of the facility comes at a time when Europe’s industrial hemp industry potential is being researched at an increasing rate. For example, a team of researchers affiliated with the University of Göttingen recently examined industrial hemp from the perspective of its prospects as a sustainable crop for modern agriculture in Germany.

“Industrial hemp offers promising prospects for agriculture. Its ecological advantages, such as improved soil structure and CO2 sequestration, as well as the economic potential offered by dual-use land and low or no need for pesticides, make it a sustainable addition to crop rotation.” the researchers concluded. “With the right strategy, industrial hemp can make a valuable contribution to sustainable agriculture, especially when economies of scale, stable sales contracts, and effective integration into crop rotation systems are considered.”

The University of Göttingen’s findings built on other recent hemp-focused sustainability research, including a study led by researchers affiliated with the University of Banja Luka, the University of Belgrade, and the University of Niš, which found that raw hemp can be used as an effective and eco-friendly alternative for removing toxic dye chemicals from wastewater.

European Union Reportedly Ready To Supply Medical Cannabis To Ukraine

Written by Johnny Green on November 5, 2024. Posted in Policy.

According to Ukraine Deputy Health Minister Maryna Slobodnichenko, the European Union is ready to supply medical cannabis to Ukraine. The nation’s Deputy Health Minister made the announcement in a recent interview with the Ukrainian News Agency.

“They (the European Union) are very happy about our progress in this area. They say – show the consumers, because they have warehouses of medical cannabis that they are ready to supply to us. But we are talking about medicine, and therefore the consumer is not every person, but patients who suffer from clearly defined diseases,” the official of the Ministry of Health said (translated from Ukrainian to English).

Earlier this year, in August 2024, Ukraine’s medical cannabis program officially launched. Ukraine’s Parliament first approved medical cannabis reform in December 2023, with President Volodymyr Zelensky signing the measure on February 15th, 2024.

Cannabis resin, extracts, and tinctures are excluded from the list of ‘dangerous substances’ in Ukraine under the new policy. The production of medical cannabis, development of medical cannabis therapies, and distribution of medical cannabis products are to be tightly regulated in the European nation.

Ukrainian medical cannabis cultivation facilities are required to be operated in ‘closed soil conditions’ with ’round-the-clock video surveillance.’ Additionally, national police must have ‘free access’ to all facilities under the new regulations.

“For cultivation, there is a procedure for purchasing plant seeds – they must have a quality certificate and be registered in the State Register of plant varieties suitable for distribution in Ukraine.” the Ministry of Health stated in its news release in August 2024.

“Medicines from medical cannabis will be made in a pharmacy setting and prescribed by prescription to patients for whom conventional medicines do not have a therapeutic effect or cause adverse reactions that are poorly tolerated.” according to the Ministry of Health. “It will be possible to buy such medicines in Ukraine only with an electronic prescription, which will indicate the dosage form and dosage, the names of the active substances included in their composition. It is expected that medicinal products from medical cannabis will be available to patients in the form of oral drops, hard capsules, and dental pastes.”

“The law allows people entering or leaving Ukraine or transiting through its territory to carry medicinal products based on medical cannabis for their own use in an amount that does not exceed the amount prescribed by a doctor’s prescription.” the Ministry of Health also stated at the time.

Ukraine Approves List Of Qualifying Medical Cannabis Conditions

Written by Hazel Norman on September 30, 2024. Posted in Policy.

As originally reported by Marijuana Moment, Ukraine officials recently approved the list of qualifying conditions for suffering patients to qualify under.

“On Friday, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health revealed a list of about 20 qualifying conditions for which medical cannabis can be prescribed to patients, while noting that additional conditions could be added down the line if it’s deemed medically appropriate.” Marijuana Moment reported.

“Those conditions include multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, shingles, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, complications from chemotherapy, Parkinson’s disease, childhood epilepsy and weight loss associated with eating disorders. The ministry also noted that a medical advisory committee could approve additional conditions in the future.” the media outlet also reported.

Medical Cannabis Legalization Officially Launches In Ukraine

Written by Hazel Norman on August 21, 2024. Posted in Policy.

Ukraine’s Parliament first approved medical cannabis reform in December 2023, with President Volodymyr Zelensky signing the measure on February 15th, 2024. This week the law took effect in Ukraine, paving the way for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and people with serious illnesses to access medical cannabis legally.

Cannabis resin, extracts, and tinctures are now excluded from the list of ‘dangerous substances’ in Ukraine under the new policy. The production of medical cannabis, development of medical cannabis therapies, and distribution of medical cannabis products will be tightly regulated in Ukraine.

Medical cannabis cultivation facilities are required to be operated in ‘closed soil conditions’ with ’round-the-clock video surveillance.’ Additionally, national police must have ‘free access’ to all facilities under the new regulations.

All harvests will be subject to laboratory testing and all ‘laboratory studies’ will be ‘carried out exclusively in state laboratories.’ Every sale/purchase of medical cannabis in Ukraine will be required to go through a centralized electronic system for tracking. The Ministry of Health expects the system to be operational ‘in the fall of this year,’ and the system’s timeline will directly affect the launch of legal sales.

“More than 30 types of operations for more than 10 accounting objects will be recorded and accounted for. The system will include information on the production of medical cannabis seeds, sowing, cloning, planting plants and planting material, sending samples for laboratory testing, collecting plants, transporting, purchasing, manufacturing medicines, destroying waste, dispensing at a pharmacy, etc. Seeds, planting material, plants, intrapharmacy preparations, medicines, waste, etc. will be subject to accounting.” stated the Ministry of Health.

Medical Cannabis Legalization Stalls In Ukraine

Written by Hazel Norman on January 1, 2024. Posted in Policy.

Roughly a week ago lawmakers in Ukraine passed a measure that would legalize cannabis for medical use in the country under certain circumstances. Unfortunately, before the nation’s president could sign the measure procedural actions taken by the opposition party Batkivshchyna have delayed the process.

Cannabis opponents in the Verkhovna Rada made significant efforts leading up to the successful vote for medical cannabis to try to prevent a vote from happening via the classic political tactic of introducing needless amendments to the measure being considered.

Those tactics may have failed at the time, however, the recent actions by members of the Batkivshchyna party make the future of medical cannabis in Ukraine murkier, to say the least. Per Marijuana Moment:

The leader of the Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party, Yulia Tymoshenko, who has consistently opposed the measure, said recently that her party intends to appeal to the Constitutional Court to cancel the legislative vote because “the amendments to the bill were considered in a half-empty chamber,” according to a report in the New Voice of Ukraine.

Tymoshenko, a former prime minister of the country, claimed that the proposal would legalize “drug trafficking and the drug mafia in the country,” though the local news outlet said she failed to provide any evidence for those claims.

The recently passed measure, if it is ever signed into law by President Volodymyr Zelensky, would legalize medical cannabis for suffering patients diagnosed with ‘severe illnesses’ and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Cannabis is currently classified as a List I substance in Ukraine, and if the new measure becomes law, it would reschedule cannabis to List II. That rescheduling would allow cannabis to be prescribed for medical purposes.

Ukraine’s Agrarian Policy Ministry would regulate the nation’s medical cannabis program along with Ukraine’s Police and State Agency on Medicines according to the bill. Medical cannabis imports would be permitted, which would help increase the speed at which the nation’s medical cannabis program could become operational.

Ukrainian Medical Cannabis Legalization Awaits Presidential Signature

Written by Hazel Norman on December 25, 2023. Posted in Policy.

Lawmakers in Ukraine gave final approval this week to a measure that would legalize cannabis for medical purposes in certain instances. The medical cannabis legalization measure now awaits the signature of President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is expected to sign it into law.

Ukraine’s legislative body, the Verkhovna Rada, approved the bill on Thursday with 248 ‘yes’ votes. The favorable vote comes after years of Ukrainian advocates pushing for medical cannabis legalization. Per Kyiv Post:

In the second reading, the Verkhovna Rada voted in favor of legalizing medical cannabis in Ukraine, passing the new law with a total of 248 votes, as reported by People’s Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak on Telegram.

The Servant of the People pro-presidential faction cast 178 votes in support of the bill, draft law No. 7457. However, the European Solidarity faction, led by former President Petro Poroshenko, and the Batkivshchyna faction, led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, did not support the document.

Cannabis opponents in the Verkhovna Rada made significant efforts in recent weeks to try to prevent a vote from happening via the classic political tactic of introducing needless amendments to the measure being considered.

The recently passed measure, if signed into law by President Volodymyr Zelensky, would legalize medical cannabis for suffering patients diagnosed with ‘severe illnesses’ and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Cannabis is currently classified as a List I substance in Ukraine, and if this new measure becomes law, it will reschedule cannabis to List II. That rescheduling will allow cannabis to be prescribed for medical purposes.

Ukraine’s Agrarian Policy Ministry will regulate the nation’s medical cannabis program along with Ukraine’s Police and State Agency on Medicines. Medical cannabis imports will be permitted, which should help increase the rate at which the nation’s medical cannabis program is operational.

The measure is scheduled to be implemented six months after it receives President Volodymyr Zelensky’s signature.

Ukrainian Health Ministry Backs Medical Cannabis Bill

Written by Hazel Norman on July 11, 2023. Posted in Policy.

In recent days the Ukrainian Health Ministry expressed its support for backing a medical cannabis bill originally proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The recent endorsement from the nation’s Health Ministry provides a much-needed boost for Ukrainian medical cannabis policy modernization efforts, which have languished in recent years.

According to international reporting, Deputy Health Minister Ihor Kuzin announced support for President Zelenskyy’s plan to legalize cannabis-based medicines in some instances late last week.

“The health ministry supports this legislative initiative. Drugs in healthcare are used to treat chronic pain … A large number of countries have already made changes in their legislation. They have recognized it and use it for treatment purposes,” Kuzin stated according to UrduPoint Network (translated to English).

President Zelenskyy pledged to reform Ukraine’s medical cannabis policies during his 2019 presidential campaign, although a measure failed to gain enough votes in 2021. The Ukrainian cabinet later endorsed President Zelenskyy’s effort to permit cannabis cultivation for medical use and scientific research purposes in June 2022.

What the Ukrainian cabinet approved was a draft law, and in order for the measure to be officially adopted it will still require approval by Ukraine’s Parliament. Roughly two weeks ago, President Zelenskyy made an additional call to action.

“In particular, we must finally fairly legalize cannabis-based medicines for all those who need them, with appropriate scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production,” Zelenskyy said, as Ukrainska Pravda first reported.

A growing number of countries around the world are modernizing their cannabis policies, with medical cannabis reform being particularly widespread now. Compared to other nations with medical cannabis programs in operation, what is being proposed in Ukraine is fairly limited.