Thailand approves home cannabis cultivation

Thailand – According to Thailand’s narcotics board, cannabis would be removed off the drugs list of the country which in turn resulted to clearing the door for individuals to cultivate the plant in their own homes.

Thailand became the very first nation in the Southeast Asia region to legalize marijuana for medicinal use as well as for scientific purposes.

People may cultivate cannabis plants at their homes after giving their local government a heads up, but the cannabis plant cannot be utilized for commercial reasons without additional permits, as stated by Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who spoke to media about the new law.

Before home cannabis plants may be grown legally, the regulation must be published in the official Royal Gazette and 120 days must elapse before they can be grown legally.

A separate draft law on the legal use of cannabis, including its manufacturing and commercial usage, as well as recommendations on its recreational use, will be presented to parliament this week by the health ministry.

Paisal Dankhum, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, has previously said that homegrown cannabis should be used for medicinal reasons, similar to conventional medication, and that random inspections will take place.

Growing cannabis without alerting the government is punishable by a fine of up to 20,000 baht (RM2,534), and selling it without a license is punishable by a fine of up to 300,000 baht (RM2,534) or three years in prison, or both, according to the draft law.

Thailand’s strategy to promote cannabis as a commercial crop has taken another step forward with this decision. According to the World Bank, agriculture employs around one-third of the country’s labor force.

Following the approval of their usage in consumer goods, Thai beverage and cosmetics businesses hurried to market last year with items containing a component that does not cause consumers to feel euphoric.