Members of Parliament ignore the Council of Churches' position on cannabis legalization

This was announced by MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak in his Telegram channel, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Details: 268 MPs voted "for" the adoption of draft law 7457 as a basis.

Zhelezniak also provides a breakdown of how the factions and groups voted:

"Servant of the People" - 183, "European Solidarity" - 10, "Fatherland" gave one vote "for," "Platform for Life and Peace" - 16, "Holos" - 19, "Revival" - 11, "For the Future" - 8, "Trust" - 12, non-faction - 8.

President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need to legalize medical cannabis in Ukraine.

Over 40 oncologists from Ukraine spoke in favor of adopting the draft law and signed the respective appeal.

The National Security and Defense Council and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs also called on the Verkhovna Rada to adopt a law on medical cannabis.

However, the leaders of the Council of Churches and religious organizations believe that this draft law is not aimed at creating additional opportunities for the treatment of seriously ill patients but rather at the legalization of the cultivation of hemp as a raw material, which contains a narcotic substance, its processing, and implementation in Ukraine. Therefore, this draft law is primarily about the drug business and not about medicine and caring for war victims.

As representatives of the Council of Churches and religious organizations emphasize, the consumption of "medical cannabis" for treatment has as much legitimate medical purpose as the consumption of "medical alcohol."