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Public Health Minister’s plan to distribute
1 million marijuana plantingsStarting Friday, this has added to the notion that Thailand is turning into a weed wonderland.
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to delist all plant narcotics makes Thailand the first country in Asia to decriminalize marijuana for medical and industrial use. But it is not following the examples of Uruguay and Canada, the only two countries that have legalized recreational marijuana on a national basis.
So far, it appears no effort will be made to police what people can grow and smoke at home, other than registering to do so and declaring it for medical purposes.
Some Thai advocates celebrated Thursday by buying marijuana at a cafe that was previously limited to selling products made from parts of the plant that didn’t get people high. Dozens of early visitors to the Highland Cafe were able to choose from a variety of buds with names like Sugarcane, Bubblegum, Purple Afghani and UFOs.
“I can say this out loud that I am a cannabis smoker. I don’t need to hide like before when it was branded as an illegal drug,” said 24-year-old Ritipong Bakkul, the first customer of the day. Marijuana is also known as Bhang or Ganja in Thailand.
“As far as the government is concerned, it is only their job to promote medical use. But it is very clear that we have come too far and are finally legalizing its use. The government understands That it has advantages over cons,” said Rattapon Sanrak, co-owner of the cafe and longtime legalization activist.
The country is known for its Thai stick variety, named after its powerful way of drying and tying flowers into sticks, and is the origin of many strains now grown overseas.
Thailand’s government has warned that people who are eager to enjoy the fun of smoking in public could still be considered a nuisance, with a possible 3-month prison sentence and a fine of 25,000 baht ($780). can go. And marijuana extracts, such as oil, remain illegal if they contain more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the chemical that makes people high.
Professor Sarna Sommo of Chiang Mai University’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences said that until the rules are clear after the new cannabis law is passed, tourists should proceed with caution.
“There are still risks. The problem is that cannabis is no longer considered a narcotic, but there are no ministry rules and regulations governing its use,” she said. “There’s no mention of limits on use, drug-inflicted driving laws. It could be a mistake by the government to tell voters without really planning out the details and telling the public what’s going on.” Trying to pursue its policy to please.”
Thailand primarily wants to hit the market for medical marijuana. It already has a well-developed medical tourism industry and its tropical climate is ideal for growing cannabis.
“We need to know how cannabis is used,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charanveerakul, a marijuana booster, said recently. “If we have the right awareness, cannabis is like gold, something valuable, and should be promoted.”
Some of the immediate beneficiaries of the change are those who have been imprisoned for breaking the old law.
“From our perspective, a huge positive result of the legal changes is that at least 4,000 people imprisoned for cannabis-related crimes will be released,” said Gloria Lai, regional director for Asia International Drug Policy ConsortiumSaid in an email interview.
“People facing cannabis-related charges will see them dropped, and the money and cannabis confiscated on charges of cannabis-related offenses will be returned to their owners,” she said. His organization is a network of citizen groups around the world that advocate for drug policies that encompass human rights, health, and development.
Projected economic benefits are at the heart of Thailand’s marijuana reforms, which are projected to boost everything from national income to the livelihoods of small farmers. But there is concern whether the benefits will be distributed equitably.
One fear is that large corporations may unfairly benefit from proposed regulations that include complicated licensing procedures and costly fees for commercial use that would inhibit smaller producers.
Taupipop Limjitrakorn, a legislator from the opposition Move Forward party, said that under some of the proposed rules, the cannabis industry could be controlled by a few large companies, as is the case with alcoholic beverages. His party wants that laws are now being drafted to deal with this problem.
Small operators are eager to get into the marijuana business.
On a recent hot Sunday afternoon in eastern Thailand’s Sri Racha district, Goldenleaf Hemp cannabis farm owner Ittisag Hanjichan led his fifth training course for 40 entrepreneurs, farmers and retirees. They paid about $150 each so they could learn tips on how to remove the seed coat and care for the plants to get quality yields.
One of the attendees was 18-year-old Chanadech Sonbun, who said his parents used to scold him for trying to grow marijuana plants in secret.
He said his father has changed his mind and now sees marijuana as a drug rather than a drug of abuse. The family runs a small homestay and cafe and hopes to one day provide cannabis to its guests.
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