Two years after legalising medical cannabis, Ukraine has reached a significant milestone by issuing its first legal prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines.

On 11 June 2026, neurologists at the Vinnytsia Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital prescribed the country’s first medical cannabis treatments to two patients: Lyudmyla Monastyrska, who is living with multiple sclerosis, and Yaroslav Yurchuk, a Ukrainian war veteran who lost his leg during fighting near Pokrovsk last year.

The prescriptions mark the beginning of regulated patient access to cannabis-based medicines following the implementation of Ukraine’s medical cannabis legislation.

From Legalisation to Patient Access

Ukraine officially introduced its medical cannabis framework on 16 August 2024, allowing the cultivation, processing and distribution of cannabis for medical, scientific and educational purposes under a strict licensing and quota system.

Although the law came into force nearly two years ago, significant work was required to establish the regulatory framework, licensing procedures and pharmaceutical supply chain needed to bring cannabis-based medicines to patients safely. The rollout has taken place while Ukraine continues to face the challenges of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

According to the Ministry of Health, an estimated six million Ukrainians could potentially benefit from treatment with cannabis-based medicines.

Which Conditions Qualify for Medical Cannabis?

Under current regulations, both general practitioners and medical specialists can prescribe approved cannabis medicines for a range of qualifying conditions, including:

  • Chronic and neuropathic pain
  • Spasticity
  • Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Tourette syndrome
  • Treatment-resistant epilepsy
  • Severe childhood epilepsy syndromes, including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome
  • Tuberous sclerosis
  • HIV-related anorexia and weight loss

At present, only oral dosage forms have been approved for prescription. These include oral drops, capsules, oral pastes and oral gels. According to local physicians, the first patients received a THC-based medicine in the form of hard capsules.

A Milestone Years in the Making

For patient advocates, the first prescriptions represent the culmination of years of campaigning.

Gennadii Shabas, head of the Ukrainian Association of Medical Cannabis, said the achievement reflects more than eight years of collaboration between the association and patient organisations.

“For more than eight years, since 2018, the Ukrainian Association of Medical Cannabis has worked consistently alongside patient organisations to develop this field. Today we finally see the results of that work: the first patient in Ukraine has received treatment based on medical cannabis.”

While celebrating the milestone, Shabas stressed that the work is far from complete. One of the next priorities is the development of domestic cultivation and pharmaceutical production, with the country’s first production facilities already under construction.

Domestic Production Could Begin Before 2028

Industry experts believe Ukraine could begin producing medical cannabis domestically before 2028.

Lisa Fomenko, co-founder of Complant Consulting, which works with regulators and manufacturers to establish a secure medical cannabis supply chain, described the launch as a landmark achievement.

“The creation of Ukraine’s first fully functioning medical cannabis supply chain is a major milestone. We firmly believe that informed access to medical cannabis, supported by scientific evidence and clinical research, will contribute to harm reduction and improve public understanding of the legal medical use of cannabis.”

Education Remains the Next Priority

According to Complant Consulting co-founder Oleksandr Alba, education will be key to ensuring that patients can access medical cannabis safely and appropriately.

“Access to safe, traceable and quality-controlled medical cannabis requires a coordinated pharmaceutical pathway, and safe distribution begins with education. Developing educational programmes for physicians, pharmacists and medical educators is essential to maximise the benefits of medical cannabis legalisation for Ukrainian patients and communities.”

As Ukraine’s medical cannabis programme moves from legislation to implementation, the first prescriptions represent not only an important moment for patients, but also the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s healthcare system.