The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine has voted this Thursday in first reading a law supported by President Volodimir Zelensky that legalizes the therapeutic use of cannabis to help the military and civilians suffering from post-traumatic stress caused by the war caused by the Russian invasion.

The law had been promoted by deputy Yaroslav Zhelezniak, from the centrist opposition party Jolos (Voice in Ukrainian), and has had the support of 268 deputies of the Ukrainian Radawhich has a total of 450 seats.

The legal text allows the cultivation, circulation and industrial, scientific and technical use of marijuana when it is intended for the treatment of cancer and “post-traumatic stress” caused by the war.

In a speech to the Rada on June 28, Zelensky declared that he supported this law so that “all citizens, men and women of Ukraine, Don’t have to suffer the pain the stress and trauma of war”.

A group of Ukrainian soldiers asked the Rada last week to approve this law as soon as possible. According to Inna Ivanenko of the Ukrainian NGO Patients, “some 4 million people” they may need medical cannabis treatment as a result of the war.

Ivanenko has estimated at 2 million people the number of Ukrainians who suffer from cancer and other serious illnesses that will benefit from the partial decriminalization of this drug.