25 January 2021, Monday, 18:14 250

Deputy Health Minister Liashko Favoring Legalization Of Medical Marijuana

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

Deputy Minister of Health/Chief State Sanitary Doctor Viktor Liashko favors legalization of medical cannabis and believes that it is quite possible to do this in Ukraine.

Liashko announced this to the Ukrainian News Agency.

"As a doctor, I am convinced that it is worth talking about and explaining medical cannabis. Legalization of cannabis for medical purposes is, first of all, about resolving the issue of reducing pain for seriously ill patients and not about politics," he said.

According to him, scientists have confirmed the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for critically ill patients, including cancer and palliative patients, children with epilepsy, patients with depression and anxiety, soldiers with post-traumatic syndromes, and people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis.

"Ukraine should also reconsider the issue of allowing the use of cannabis for medical purposes by people in need of this type of treatment," Liashko said.

According to him, the use of cannabis for medical purposes is allowed in Denmark, Austria, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Poland, Finland, and North Macedonia.

In addition, medical marijuana is legal in Turkey, Israel, Russia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Peru, Thailand, Vanuatu, and Panama.

"As the practical experiences in these countries have shown, it is quite possible to legalize medical cannabis without panic. However, it must be done on the condition that priority is given to people who are addicted to pain," Liashko said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov supports legalization of cannabis, subject to regulation of its sale and use.