Why Thailand will distribute cannabis plants to individuals

Thailand will distribute one million cannabis plants to homes across the country next month, here's why.

The Land of Smiles is open to medicinal plants and has always encouraged individuals to cultivate plants and maintain a certain autonomy, as with the self-sufficiency economy advocated by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) .

See: Thailand's Self-Sufficiency Economy, a Fundamental Legacy

Individuals have also been encouraged to grow green chirette (Andrographis Paniculata) to combat Covid-19.

See: How Thailand is successfully using a medicinal plant to treat Covid-19

Why does the Thai government want to give people cannabis plants?

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, one of the most vocal proponents of cannabis decriminalization, announced the move on Facebook earlier this month, saying he wanted cannabis plants to be grown as "home crops."

With about a third of its workforce engaged in agriculture, Thailand has been trying to promote cannabis as a cash crop for some time now.

In fact, in 2018, it became the first country in the Southeast Asian region to legalize the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

The plant distribution project is scheduled to begin next month and will allow residents to grow medical-grade marijuana for personal use or as part of a small-scale commercial enterprise.

Large-scale businesses will still need to obtain government approvals.

“This will enable the people and the government to generate more than 10 billion baht per year in revenue from marijuana and hemp,” Anutin wrote in his Facebook post.

With this new project, the Thai government seeks to encourage the cultivation of medicinal cannabis at home.

Officials hope that with the new law, the country's growing cannabis industry will slowly begin generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually, attracting international visitors and boosting medical tourism, which has taken a massive hit during the coronavirus pandemic.

What do we know about the new law?

The country's new rule, which takes effect on June 9, will allow people to grow cannabis plants at home after notifying their local government.

However, home-grown cannabis must be medical grade.

Extracted content will remain illegal if it contains more than 0.2% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the part of the plant responsible for the euphoric effects.

Large-scale companies will still need to seek approval from the country's Food and Drug Administration.

According to a report by the Bangkok Post, the FDA received about 4,700 applications last month for licenses to import, possess, cultivate, and produce cannabis and hemp.

Earlier this year, the Narcotics Control Board of Thailand announced plans to remove cannabis from its list of narcotics, starting the same week in June.

What has been Thailand's position on the use of cannabis so far?

According to a Reuters report, Thailand has a long tradition of using marijuana to relieve pain and fatigue.

In recent years, the Thai government has steadily lifted restrictions on cannabis.

Last year, several companies launched a wide range of hemp and CBD products after their use was approved for consumer goods, Reuters reports.

In 2018, the country became the first in Southeast Asia, a region otherwise known for its strict sanctions against drug use, to legalize marijuana for medical and research purposes.

Since then, several restrictions on the use of medicinal cannabis have been gradually relaxed.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Singapore, cannabis possession is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while trafficking is punishable by death.

In Indonesia and Malaysia, marijuana traffickers are also subject to the death penalty.

Which countries allow cannabis consumption?

In 2018, Canada became the first G20 country to legalize the recreational use of cannabis.

Meanwhile, Uruguay legalized recreational marijuana use for all adults over 18 in 2013.

Several European countries – including the Netherlands, Spain, and the Czech Republic – allow people to smoke marijuana in public places.

In the United States, marijuana use is legal in at least 20 states, including Washington DC, New York, and California.

Source: The Indian Express