Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Public Health of Thailand Thailand officially legalized marijuana cultivation and its consumption in food and beverages on June 9, the first Asian country to do so in an effort to boost its agriculture and tourism industry, but smoking marijuana remains illegal. The new legislation allows people to grow the plant at home and in business, as the Thai government is keen to promote cannabis as a cash crop. However, while the change aims to allow marijuana to be used in traditional medicine and cooking, recreational use remains a grey area. This is a big…
Thailand officially legalized marijuana cultivation and its consumption in food and beverages on June 9, the first Asian country to do so in an effort to boost its agriculture and tourism industry, but smoking marijuana remains illegal.
The new legislation allows people to grow the plant at home and in business, as the Thai government is keen to promote cannabis as a cash crop. However, while the change aims to allow marijuana to be used in traditional medicine and cooking, recreational use remains a grey area.
It’s a major policy shift in a country long known for its strict drug controls, but the Thai government hopes the law changes will Promote Health and Tourism.
Cannabis prisoners to be released
In January, Thai authorities announced they were removing marijuana from the official list of controlled substances, leading some to call it a de facto decriminalization. About 4,000 inmates jailed for marijuana-related crimes will soon be released and their criminal records expunged, the country’s Department of Corrections said.
Thailand’s public health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, announced on Facebook last month his intention to give away 1 million cannabis plants to the public.
“This is an opportunity for people and the country to earn income from marijuana and cannabis,” he wrote, alongside a photo of cooked chicken seasoned with marijuana.
Six pots per family
Anutin, who first announced the new policy in 2021, said at the time that households would be allowed to grow up to six pot plants of cannabis so they could supply the crop to public hospitals and research institutions, or to produce cannabis. food or cosmetics.
Anutin said the policy is focused on “health and medical use, not entertainment.” He stressed that, unlike alcohol and cigarettes, marijuana offers benefits if “used judiciously” and the law was not changed to allow it to be used for intoxication.
Recreational use still penalized
Penalties for causing “public nuisance” for recreational marijuana use would still apply, he said, noting that offenders who report to authorities could face up to three months in prison or a fine of up to 25,000 baht.
By law, any cannabis extract must contain less than 0.2 percent THC, the main psychoactive component of cannabis.
A comprehensive law regulating marijuana has yet to pass parliament.
Globally, recreational marijuana use is legal in some U.S. states, Canada, Uruguay, South Africa, Mexico and the Australian Capital Territory.
