A new Cannabis and Hemp Control Bill, sponsored by the Department of Public Health, is expected to become law next year to regulate misuse of the plant.
Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said the bill would not reclassify cannabis as a narcotic, and its main aim was to close loopholes that allow people to use cannabis for the wrong purposes.
Under the bill, cannabis is still defined as a controlled plant and any extract of the plant containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) remains listed as a narcotic.
The bill will also regulate the use of other parts of the plant that are not listed as narcotics but nevertheless contain psychoactive substances, Dr Cholnan said.
He added that the ministry still supports medical use but not recreational use, so those growing cannabis – even for personal use – must have permission.
The version of the Cannabis and Hemp Control Bill proposed by the previous government’s Bhumjaithai Party allowed a household to grow up to 15 plants for personal use.
All they had to do was inform local authorities, but under the new law they would also have to seek permission first.
Dr Cholnan said cannabis stores that already have a license can continue to operate, but they must comply with the law, for example by banning the smoking of cannabis on their premises and not selling cannabis bud. dried cannabis.
The law will also clarify which venues cannot sell or allow cannabis on their premises.
“We won’t close all cannabis stores, but they must comply with the law. The new regulations will not allow them to sell cannabis buds for people to smoke, or even sell equipment that allows customers to smoke in their stores.
“In the past we did not control consumption, but with the new law, recreational cannabis use will be prohibited,” he said.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine has finalized a first draft of the bill which will be reviewed by the Ministry of Public Health’s legal team before being presented at a public hearing this month.
Cholnan: No new designation for cannabis
Clear criteria for use
Dr Cholnan said the bill would set clear criteria for the use of cannabis for medical purposes and locations of consumption.
More importantly, it will no longer allow people to freely grow the plant, because medical-grade cannabis must be planted using scientific methods, he said.
The draft also makes it clear that people wishing to plant cannabis must first obtain a permit from the authority, with additional requirements to be issued later under the ministerial regulation, he said.
“Although cannabis can be used for medical purposes, other parts still contain narcotic substances and many have abused them. This is why we must have clear measures to ensure that cannabis is used for medical purposes only “The government’s policy is to support the use of cannabis for medical purposes, not recreational use,” he said.
Supachai: parties can present their own versions
Supachai Jaisamut, adviser to the deputy prime minister and Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul, said the version proposed by Bhumjaithai in the previous government allowed people to register to cultivate the plant, but under this bill , people have to ask permission. The measure is sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health.
However, he said several parts of the bill proposed by the ministry do not differ from the bill proposed by Bhumjaithai.
He said other MPs or parties could also present their own versions in Parliament.
However, the draft proposed by the Ministry of Public Health will be the main draft submitted for consideration by Parliament while others may be amended and combined with the main bill by the House Oversight Committee, said Mr. Supachai.
Fresh cannabis which will later develop buds containing two major compounds: THC and CBD.
Bill’s visit next year
He said he expected the bill to be passed by Parliament and signed into law by the middle of next year.
“Currently, Thailand exports cannabis extracts which are used for the production of medicines and cosmetics worth around 100 billion baht every year.
“However, cannabis and cannabis products are also smuggled into the country, which has dealt a major blow to local producers. Without proper laws and regulations, Thailand will lose business opportunities.
“Recently, Japan has also floated the idea of decriminalizing cannabis. Japanese lawmakers invited me to discuss the issue because Japan imported cannabis extracts from Thailand,” Mr. Supachai said.
He added that under regulations issued by the previous government’s ministry, stores must apply for permission to sell cannabis and cannabis products from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.
“But there are still stores operating illegally, and it’s a matter of law enforcement,” Mr. Supachai said.
Cannabis liberalization was one of the key election promises made by Bhumjaithai ahead of the 2019 elections.
The plant was subsequently removed from Category 5 of the Narcotics Act, with the exception of extracts containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound that creates the psychoactive effect, in a statement published in the Royal Gazette on June 9 last year.
It allowed people to legally grow and use cannabis as a domestic herb for medicinal purposes.
The goal was to promote its medical benefits and support a cannabis economy by growing cannabis and hemp as commercial crops and allowing their use in food, fashion and cosmetics.
Currently, regulations prohibit smoking in public and prohibit sales to people under 18 and pregnant women. Cannabis stores must also apply for a license, while those growing cannabis for industrial purposes must also hold a license.
However, decriminalization preceded the passage of the necessary legislation to control and regulate its consumption, which led to chaos in the industry as companies, many of them foreign-owned, invested in the outlets of cannabis while users purchased weed with little or no medical or consumption advice. .
Parliament has yet to pass the cannabis bill, raising questions about the actual degree of cannabis liberalization.
The Cannabis and Hemp Control Bill proposed by Bhumjaithai was rejected on second reading in Parliament earlier this year.
This bill contains a series of safeguards, such as a zoning law as well as much more severe legal sanctions.
At the time, the Pheu Thai and Democratic parties opposed the bill, arguing that cannabis should be relisted as a narcotic because the controls and regulations proposed under the bill were too lax .
Parnthep: limits which constitute a major obstacle
Concerns about limited use
Parnthep Pourpongpan, dean of the Faculty of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, said he was concerned that the bill could limit the use of the plant by ordinary people and patients.
He explained that few modern medical practitioners prescribe cannabis for therapeutic purposes, in part because of a lack of sufficient knowledge about its benefits.
“We are pleased that cannabis will not be re-listed as a narcotic drug. But we are concerned that limitations on medical use will pose a major barrier to people’s access to alternative medical treatment,” he said. he declares.
Medicinal cannabis advocate Daycha Siripatra insists cannabis is not a narcotic, saying many patients have benefited from traditional medicine treatment using cannabis.
He said some 47 million people have registered to grow cannabis and are prepared to resist any attempt to reclassify it as a narcotic.
“Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are dangerous to your health but can still be sold in convenience stores, while cannabis is labeled evil despite its medicinal health benefits.
“Laws and regulations can be enforced to address any concerns regarding misuse of the plant,” he said, while emphasizing the need to educate people on the correct use of the plant for maximum of health benefits.
Prasitchai Nunual, leader of Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network, also warned that any attempt by politicians to relist cannabis would trigger resistance from the civil sector.
In a recent meeting with Dr. Cholnan, Mr. Prasitchai said the network was hopeful that cannabis would not be redesignated as a narcotic. “We’ll wait and see,” he said.
However, he expressed concern that the bill proposed by the Department of Public Health could impose strict requirements that would discourage people from growing cannabis for home use, such as requiring that growing cannabis cannabis is done in a greenhouse with a security control system or in partnership with academic institutions. .
He also said he had reservations about any policies that might limit the development of Thailand’s traditional medicine industry.
