From Next Month, Cannabis Cultivation Allowed... Thailand Ministry of Health "Blocking Use for Recreational Purposes"

Thai Cannabis Cultivation Farm

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] Ahead of the legalization of home cultivation of cannabis starting next month, the Thai government announced that it will block recreational use.

According to the daily Bangkok Post on the 29th, the Ministry of Public Health signed an agreement two days ago with eight related agencies, including the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Thai Traditional Medicine Advisory Council, to limit cannabis use to medical, cosmetic, and research purposes.

This agreement is a measure in response to concerns that allowing home cultivation of cannabis from the 9th of next month, according to government policy, could potentially encourage recreational use.

At the signing ceremony, Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Public Health, said, "The government policy is expected to increase the market value of cannabis and encourage its use in various fields such as food ingredients, medicinal herbs, and cosmetics."

However, he emphasized, "The legalization of cannabis does not mean that everyone can freely use it, especially for recreational purposes."

Additionally, Minister Anutin added that cannabis cultivators must erect fences and implement theft prevention measures.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Health announced that it will prepare guidelines to prevent secondhand smoke exposure and submit them to the National Public Health Commission by the end of this month.

The Thai government removed cannabis from the list of illegal drugs under the Narcotics Act in December last year.

Subsequently, on January 25th of this year, the Thai Narcotics Control Board approved the removal of cannabis from the list of controlled substances.

This policy takes effect 120 days after being published in the Royal Gazette.

Accordingly, from the 9th of next month, households can cultivate cannabis if they register with the authorities.

However, products containing cannabis with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive chemical, exceeding 0.2% will be considered illegal drugs and their handling will be restricted.

Thailand was the first Asian country to legalize the cultivation and use of medical cannabis in 2018.