Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thai residents will be allowed to grow “cannabis plants they want” in their homes. However, he said the public will have to wait until June 9, when the Health Ministry’s directive to legalize marijuana goes into effect. The minister added that people do not have to seek a license to grow cannabis, but must inform authorities about the number of plants they have. An international treaty that Thailand has ratified requires registration of plant numbers, he said. “Medical Grade Marijuana” Only But, there…
Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thai residents will be allowed to grow “cannabis plants they want” in their homes.
However, he said the public will have to wait until June 9, when the Health Ministry’s directive to legalize marijuana goes into effect.
The minister added that people do not have to seek a license to grow cannabis, but must inform authorities about the number of plants they have. An international treaty ratified by Thailand requires registration of plant numbers, he said.
“Medical Grade Marijuana” Only
However, there are some finer prints, and those looking forward to the future of smoking high-end marijuana on their balconies may be disappointed. The plants must be “medical grade marijuana” used for medicinal purposes only. The cultivation of marijuana for recreational use is still not allowed.
Right now, it’s unclear what the definition of “medical-grade marijuana” means for home growers. Currently, it is legal for registered companies to sell cannabis products containing less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, in Thailand. The minister has yet to say whether THC levels in native plants can or should be controlled.
This low THC content is commonly found in cannabis, a non-psychoactive strain of the cannabis plant used in various industries. The average concentration of THC in dry high-grade cannabis used by heavy smokers is between 15% and 30%.
Targeting high-end cannabis tourism
Nonetheless, Thailand has shown some progress in legalizing marijuana. The country was the first in Southeast Asia to approve medical cannabis in 2018.It’s working hard to create the “high-end” it envisions cannabis tourism“In its medical and welfare areas.
Authorities are also exploring the idea of a “cannabis sandbox” that would allow tourists to use cannabis recreationally in specific areas while visiting the country. The cannabis market in Thailand could be worth $424 million by 2024, according to London-based cannabis research firm Prohibition Partners.
