Ukraine may legalize cannabis: a new bill is planned - news smiley

Since the autumn of last year, the issue of marijuana legalization has been actively discussed in the Ukrainian parliament. More than six months have passed since the local elections and the poll from President Volodymyr Zelensky. The deputies discussed this issue, but the situation has not changed yet.

In the fall of 2020, Zelensky asked Ukrainians what they think about the legalization of cannabis as part of “5 questions from the president.” The deputies undertook to develop a bill that would allow the possession and use of marijuana. The representative of the pro-government majority and the head of the Servant of the People Alexander Kornienko said that work was underway on three documents at once.

The details were told by the publication Ain. As it turned out, the deputies from the Servant of the People party began discussing the legalization of marijuana back in 2019, but the issue was postponed. In 2020, it was supposed to adopt one of the draft laws. The reason for this desire of the deputies is the volume of the shadow hemp market - billions of hryvnias. The deputies believe that the partial legalization of this narcotic plant will lead to the withdrawal of financial flows from the shadows, from which taxes will then be paid to the budget.

What is prohibited in Ukraine?

Until the adoption of a law that legalizes marijuana, the following remain banned in the country:

hemp cultivation;

acquisition for own use;

its use in any form.

For this, a fine and the seizure of bushes that were discovered are provided. Growing, acquisition, storage, transportation of marijuana and preparations based on it are also punishable by law. The penalty is a fine of 25-50 times the tax-free minimum income, which is a relatively small amount by today's standards. If marijuana was found in large volumes, then criminal liability is already provided.

What will change after the adoption of the law?

The draft law of the Servant of the People party provides for the following changes:

In the legislation regulating the field of public health, it is proposed to change the norms for the use of psychotropic and narcotic substances for treatment and the use of plants with mind-altering substances, but for medical purposes and under control.

The deputies proposed to introduce an addition to the legislation on narcotic substances that removes marijuana from dangerous drugs. It is understood that hemp will be used for the production of drugs and products that do not contain active substances, or the amount of THC in it will be no more than 0.2%.

Such concepts as "medical cannabis" and "medical cannabis processing products" are introduced into everyday life.

The state policy of the drug trade is changing, and conditions are being created for the use of cannabis in medicine.

The sale of cannabis preparations is licensed. The cost of the permit will be 500 thousand euros, which allows one grower to grow up to 1000 bushes.

Possession of cannabis is allowed, but only if it is purchased on the recommendation of a doctor.

The Criminal Code will introduce harsher penalties for illegal growing, the use of cannabis without medical permission.

If one of the bills under development is adopted, then Ukraine will become the second country in the expanses of the former USSR, where the possession, cultivation, sale and use of marijuana and preparations based on it for medical purposes are legalized.