With a surge in global cannabis acceptance, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is responding with a cautiously optimistic and scientific approach. The ministry is forming a dedicated panel to conduct a diligent study of a bill concerning cannabis. In an environment that increasingly hails cannabis as a potent therapeutic, the Thai government emphasizes that the use of this plant should strictly be for medical and health-related applications and not for frivolous recreational activities.
Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, the Public Health Minister, vocalized the necessity of a comprehensive law to oversee optimal usage of cannabis. Reiterating the ministry’s stance, he stressed that cannabis use should strictly be health-oriented, and recreational indulgence shall not be sanctionable. Calling attention to the cannabis and hemp bill backed by the Bhumjaithai Party, which successfully passed its inaugural reading in the parliament last June, Dr. Cholnan expressed the ministry’s intention to form a committee for meticulous exploration of the bill’s specifics, assessing its need for possible revisions or enhancements.
The study will be forwarded to the cabinet, where it will undergo a meticulous examination. On its basis, a decision on proceeding with the current draft or formulating an entirely new one will be made. Regardless of the decision’s direction, Dr. Cholnan emphasizes a structured legal framework that can capably manage cannabis use is indispensable. Highlighting the risk factors associated with this powerful plant, he warned of the potential hazards careless cannabis use could thrust upon its users.
Thailand had done pioneering work in Southeast Asia regarding cannabis: it decriminalised cannabis in June last year, making it the region’s first country to take such a step. The government struck off the plant from the list of narcotics, exempting substances containing less than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the component responsible for the plant’s psychoactive effects. The move was part of a broader scheme to amplify the plant’s health benefits and foster a thriving cannabis economy by encouraging its cultivation, alongside hemp, as cash crops and its inclusion in various sectors like food, fashion, and cosmetics.
Current regulations impose a ban on public smoking and prohibit sales to underage individuals, under 18, and expectant women. Cannabis vendors are required to secure a license. Moreover, separate licenses must be obtained for cultivating cannabis for industrial uses. These regulations reflect the Thai government’s determination to create a safe, controlled, and illuminating path toward understanding and harnessing the full potential of this universal power plant.
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