Ukraine’s ‘Freedom March’ Calls on Global Cannabis Industry for Wartime Assistance

Cannabis legalization activists with the Freedom March campaign in Ukraine are calling on the global cannabis industry for donations to help the Ukrainian people in their fight to defend their lives and national sovereignty from neighboring Russia.

Originally founded in 2005, Freedom March is a cannabis advocacy group that pushes for reforming Ukraine’s cannabis laws, expanding access to medical cannabis, and which defends in court people accused of possessing cannabis products, which remain outlawed in Ukraine.

In a statement provided to Ganjapreneur, Nazarii Sovsun, a representative for Freedom March, described the effort:

“Today, with weapons in our hands, we have to defend our sovereignty and democracy, shining rays of hope at the uncertain future of the entire free world. This war was cast on Ukraine not just to steal our territories and resources and eradicate our population. This war is against freedom and identity, a threat that reaches beyond borders. We invite all cannabis professionals to stand by our side while we still resist.” — Sovsun, in a statement

The group says donations will go towards two primary efforts: first, supporting the children of slain soldiers and civilians who need medical and psychological care and financial support; and second, providing proper treatment for the patients of Ukraine including wounded soldiers and civilians, cancer patients, and “other vulnerable groups impacted by the war.”

Notably, Freedom March is soliciting the donations not through their own platform but via the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), which has updated its website to describe a new humanitarian campaign “together with Ukrainian businesses and state-owned companies … to provide food supplies, transportation, refugees help for Ukrainian citizens affected by the war,” and to “purchase necessary medicines, first aid and protective kits for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Ukrainian Paramedic Association, and the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces to shield them against Russian aggression.”

Russia launched its military invasion of Ukraine 31 days ago on February 24, 2022, in what has become the first major war in Europe in decades. Since the invasion was launched, millions of refugees have fled the country while countless more have joined the resistance effort.