Ukraine To Vote On Legalising Medical Cannabis In Consultation

Sumaira FH Published October 16, 2020 | 07:09 PM

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said Ukraine would vote later this month in a non-binding consultation on whether to legalise medical cannabis as well as on other social issues, saying the move was overdue

Kiev, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Oct, 2020 ) :President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said Ukraine would vote later this month in a non-binding consultation on whether to legalise medical cannabis as well as on other social issues, saying the move was overdue.

Zelensky, whose popularity has been waning in recent months, announced earlier this week that voters will be asked to answer five questions on social issues on local election day, October 25.

"On the territory of our country, it (medical cannabis) is totally illegal", but "the world is changing and we must draw conclusions and make changes to our social contract," the presidency said in a statement.

"According to preliminary estimates, at least two million Ukrainians need" cannabis for therapeutic use, it said.

In addition to the legalisation of medical cannabis, the other four questions are related to such topics like the reduction of the number of lawmakers or introduction of life imprisonment for high-level corruption.

The opposition denounced Zelensky's idea of the consultation as an attempt to mobilise the voters as his popularity is declining.

Faced with criticism, the presidency insisted that this consultation would not have "direct legal consequences" but will allow "every citizen to express themselves on important issues".

A former comedian with no political experience, Zelensky was elected president in 2019 on promises to root out corruption and end the war with Russian-backed separatists in the east.

With lack of palpable changes, both his own and his party's popularity ratings have continued to decline.

According to an opinion poll in September, 35 percent of Ukrainians were satisfied with the president's policies and 57 percent said they were dissatisfied.