Thai health authorities have taken steps to significantly ease cannabis laws in Thailand, with policy changes allowing for both commercial and personal cultivation as long as THC levels are low.
Last week, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Anutin Charnivarikul said in a statement that dried cannabis flower is no longer a category 5 narcotic, but that its THC content should not exceed 0,2 by World Health Organization standards. per cent.
In December 2020, the ministry declassified parts of plants that do not have a high THC content, such as the leaves or stem, but buds have remained banned until now.
People who want to grow their own weed can do so without restriction, but they have to ask permission from the National Health Commission Office of the Thailand's Food and Drug Administration in Bangkok.
“Wide availability is an important step in making cannabis, hemp, an economic crop for Thai people,” said Charnivarikul.
Cannabis kick-off in Thailand
Last week, Charnivarikul and other government representatives held a “Cannabis kickoff on Mekong Bank” event to initiate a weed-friendly pilot project called the Nakhon Phanom Model, which encourages citizens in the province to grow and monetize cannabis.
The Province Nakhon Phanom has a suitable climate for growing cannabis and can serve as a model for cultivation, explains Charnivarikul.
During the event, there were stands selling medicinal cannabis products, while others provided education about growing. There were workshops on Thai Sticks, cigar-like joints wrapped around a bamboo stick in cannabis fan leaves, tied with hemp string.
The aim is to generate more income for the province by promoting cannabis cultivation for medical purposes and stimulating agricultural tourism.
After the event, Charnivarikul traveled to the Sri Songkhram district to open a prototype cannabis learning center in Bangkok's Poonsuk Market.
In August, Thailand registered four cannabis plants as National Heritage named ST1, TT1, UUA1, and RD1.
And in November, the Ministry of Health signed a memorandum of understanding with RxLeaf World Medica to establish the country's first international medical cannabis research center.
According to the Bangkok Post, the ministry is exploring different policies regarding hemp and kratom.
“If the economy picks up and we don't have new products as alternatives, people will continue to do the same things and compete with each other. But if we give them a choice, they can learn to build on that and create new products and business models, which in turn will accelerate the economic recovery.”
Sources ao BangkokPost (EN), Mugglehead (EN), news directory (EN)
