The respected director of the Centre of Addiction Studies, Dr. Rasmon Kalayasiri, has made a compelling argument for the complete prohibition of cannabis, particularly the variants high in Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), primarily cultivated for recreational use. Notably, he proposes re-submission of these substances to the list of controlled narcotics.
This stance is a significant endorsement for the Health Minister, Cholnan Srikaew’s proposed adjustments to the Cannabis and Hemp bill, which was initially forwarded by the previous minister Anutin Charnvirakul and later dismissed by the erstwhile House of Representatives. Preceding the presentation of the said bill to the House, a ministerial ordinance had delisted cannabis and hemp as Category 5 narcotics under the Narcotics Act.
Dr. Rasmon emphasizes Minister Cholnan’s idea to refine the draft bill such that the consumption of cannabis and hemp would be permitted strictly for the sake of medical and health-related purposes. Under the revised proposal, recreational usage would be definitively ruled out. The cultivation of fewer than 15 cannabis plants per household would be abolished, and cannabis flowering sections with significant THC compounds are once again branded as narcotics.
Most medical practitioners are unreservedly supportive of cannabis applications for health reasons. However, they have observed an alarming upturn in health complications, especially among minors, as a result of the ill-advised recreational use of the drug, as reported by the Bangkok Post. An investigation spanning 2019 to 2022 has disclosed a shocking augmentation in cannabis consumption among individuals aged 18 to 19 years. It’s grown from a negligible 0.9% to a staggering 9.7%, despite the current prohibitions against recreational use. According to Dr. Rasmon, this sudden escalation aptly illustrates the existing legislation’s inefficacy.
Hence, she proposes a tailored law, specifically intended to regulate the usage of cannabis and hemp, and to outlaw their recreational use terminally. Until such a law manifests, she recommends the immediate reclassification of the THC-rich parts of cannabis as narcotics.
Just two days ago, Thailand’s Prime Minister declared plans to overhaul the country’s cannabis law and eliminate unrestricted usage. PM Srettha Thavisin specifies that cannabis should be strictly reserved for medicinal uses. Bloomberg managed to get a comprehensive interview with the 61-year-old Thai PM following the country’s audacious move of delisting cannabis as an illegal narcotic last year, making it the first Asian country to do so. This gesture has sparked significant intrigue about the future of cannabis regulation in Thailand.
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