President signed the Law on the circulation of medical cannabis in Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed the Law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on State Regulation of the Turnover of Cannabis Plants” No. 3528-IX. The law comes into force on 16 February and will be implemented in six months.

From now on, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Health, other ministries and central executive authorities have three months to bring their regulations in line with this Law.

The Ministry is actively working on their development so that by the time the Law comes into force, clear, transparent and understandable rules of operation are established for all market participants, and medical cannabis-based medicines reach patients faster.

The law stipulates that each plant, batch of processed products, unit of packaged products, and package of a cannabis-based medicine will be marked with a unique electronic identifier. The data will be entered into a specially created unified electronic accounting system.

The dispensing of medicines based on medical cannabis will be possible only based on an electronic prescription from a doctor in accordance with medical indications.

The use of plants of the genus Cannabis for other than medical and industrial purposes, scientific and technical activities remains prohibited.

It should be recalled that on 21 December, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the second reading the draft law No. 7457 “On Regulation of the Turnover of Cannabis Plants for Medical, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Purposes”. 248 people’s deputies voted in favor.

Medical cannabis-based drugs are authorized in 56 countries, including the EU, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.