Medical cannabis-based medicines will be subject to the same strict control as narcotic and psychotropic drugs - Viktor Liashko

The Parliamentary Committee on National Health has approved for the second reading the draft law No. 7457 “On Regulation of the Turnover of Cannabis Plants for Medical, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Purposes” and recommended its adoption as a whole. The day before, more than 800 amendments to the draft law were processed.

The adoption of this draft law by the Verkhovna Rada will create a mechanism for the controlled use of cannabis plants in Ukraine in medicine and science. Patients with cancer and many other diseases will have better access to the necessary treatment. At the same time, the draft law prohibits the sale (release) of cannabis plants and their processed products with any content of tetrahydrocannabinol (hereinafter – THC) for recreational use.

“Draft law No. 7457 will allow every patient to exercise their right to medical assistance, alleviate pain and suffering for millions of people, and improve the quality of life for various diseases and conditions. However, it pertains only to medical, not recreational, use of cannabis-based medicines. They will be subject to the same strict control as narcotic and psychotropic drugs,” emphasized Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health of Ukraine. “By requiring all entities involved in the cultivation and distribution of hemp and its products to report every operation at all stages to an electronic information system, the state will monitor the entire life cycle of the plant, from seed to the patient,” Viktor Liashko added.

Each plant, each batch of processed products, each unit of packaged products, and each package of medicinal products will be marked with a QR code. Plants will be cultivated by legal entities in compliance with the appropriate conditions in closed ground with round-the-clock video surveillance and real-time access to its data by the National Police.

In Ukraine, cannabis-based medicines will be produced only from medical hemp produced in Ukraine or from imported cannabis plant material. Raw materials will be registered in accordance with the requirements of the law. Medicinal cannabis-based drugs will be dispensed exclusively on a doctor’s prescription in accordance with medical indications by electronic prescription.

The draft law stipulates that the minimum THC content in medical hemp will be 0.3%. Raw materials with a THC content below the minimum level will be considered industrial hemp and will not be used for the production of medicines.

Laboratory control of the THC content will be carried out only in state-specialized laboratories (Ministry of Internal Affairs, Security Service of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service, Ministry of Justice, State Medical Service). Sample sampling for control is possible only with the participation of representatives of the National Police. If the results of the laboratory control show that the THC content in industrial hemp exceeds the permitted level, the entire crop will be subject to destruction in accordance with the established procedure under the control of the National Police.

It should be recalled that the Verkhovna Rada passed the draft law on simplifying access to medicines based on medical cannabis in the first reading on July 13.