The government will promote the commercial production of marijuana -- especially for medicinal uses -- after its full removal from the list of narcotic plants under Thai law, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul clarified yesterday.
Anutin: Support for latest cash crops
Previously only marijuana leaves, stems and roots legally could be used while the latest legal amendment, taking effect on Thursday, now allows all parts of the marijuana plant to be used legally, said Mr Anutin.
Flowers and seeds of marijuana can now be used lawfully, he said, adding the Ministry of Public Health plans to accelerate the promotion of marijuana production along with hemp and kratom as the country's new cash crops.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine will lead efforts assisting growers to earn an income from the plants while patients will be given better access to therapies using the plant-based products, said the minister.
A number of marijuana extract-based medicines will be included on the list of essential medicines so they can be prescribed to patients under the universal health coverage scheme of the National Health Security Office. Many large state-run hospitals are already running a marijuana clinic to offer treatments for various ailments including insomnia.
Meanwhile, the ministry continues researching the other ways in which these plants can be used in traditional and alternative medicine, he said.
"Those who used to secretly use these plants for promoting good health now not only can use them openly but also benefit from the knowledge and advice on how to use them more efficiently," he said.
Only marijuana extracts containing more than 0.2% of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are now considered a narcotic substance, which is a standard set by the World Health Organisation, he said.
The government also aims to support the development of new businesses related to these cash crops, said Mr Anutin. It is unclear how much the industry could be worth.
