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Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian legislature, the Rada, passed a bill legalizing medical marijuana, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health said Thursday. "Historic decision. The Parliament adopted draft law No. 7457 on the use of cannabis-based drugs in medicine," the Ukrainian Ministry of Health said in a Telegram post Thursday.
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The Health Ministry said 248 People's Deputies voted in favor of the law.
In order for the legislation to become law, it will have to be signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has expressed support for medical cannabis in the past.
"Thank you on behalf of the medical community for the decision made, because medical cannabis is a medicine for millions of people: cancer patients, people with multiple sclerosis, patients reviving palliative care, etc." the Ministry said.
The measure is largely intended to provide treatment for Ukrainian soldiers suffering from PTSD and patients with severe medical conditions.
A list of conditions that can be legally treated with cannabis will be drawn up by the Ukrainian Health Ministry.
"Dispensing medicinal products based on medical cannabis will be possible only with a doctor's appointment according to medical indications and with an electronic prescription," the Health Ministry said. "Patients will be able to carry and store such drugs in the amount determined by a single prescription."
A previous version of the law passed the Rada in July but underwent serious changes with nearly 900 proposed amendments, many of which became revisions.
