The human rights committee of the Verkhovna Rada together with social organizations has developed a draft law on legalizing cannabis for medical and scientific purposes, representative of the Ukrainian Association of Medical Cannabis Hennadiy Shabas said at a press conference in Kyiv.

"After the petition for legalizing medical cannabis received the 25,000 signatures, the parliament's human rights committee reviewed the issue. They said they had prepared a draft law and asked us for help. This issue will be resolved in any event. I think we will have a law this year," he said.

In turn, Medical Director of the Farmak pharmaceutical company (Kyiv) Vitaliy Usenko said Ukrainian pharmaceutical developers are ready to develop products based on medical cannabis.

"If there are amendments to Ukraine's legislation, then it will be possible [to develop medicines on the basis of medical cannabis]. We are able to develop these products and introduce them in clinical practice. They will be herbal products," he said.

As reported, a petition for legalizing medical cannabis placed on the parliament's website over 42 days garnered the 25,000 signatures required for consideration.

The petition, which was registered on January 30, called for legislation to regulate access for patients to products with cannabis to treat chronic ailments, epilepsy, anorexia, post-traumatic stress disorder, immune deficiency illnesses, arthritis and rheumatism, among other ailments.