Thai police donate 100 kilos of cannabis to researchers

Earlier this year, the Thai government had paved the way for the revision of anti-drug laws the country’s very strict laws to allow for scientific and medical research on the plant. This week, Thai police handed over 100 kilograms of recently seized cannabis to researchers at the Government Pharmaceutical Organization. This is the first time the Thai police have not destroyed the seized contraband. Usually, all confiscated drugs are burned on June 26 to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The government's plan

The military government that took power in 2014 had introduces the idea of amending anti-drug laws for human research, thereby signaling its interest in the rapidly expanding medical cannabis market. The plant remains illegal for any other use and is still not officially legal for research purposes. The decision to transfer these 100 kilograms of cannabis is in anticipation of the planned amendments. However, it remains in the hands of a government agency.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organization stated that it intends to «use cannabis (…) for medical research and to produce medicinal extracts and other pharmaceutical products of standardized quality.» Sophon Mekthon, president of the organization, explains that the 100 kilograms of cannabis received on Tuesday could be used to produce between 10 and 15 liters of cannabis concentrates. With regard to the pharmaceutical products that will be manufactured, Withoon Danwiboon, director of the organization, specifies that they could include sublingual strips, skin patches, suppositories, creams, and capsules.

Sophon explained that, in the long run, the organization hopes to make cannabis-based medicines available to many people as a replacement for other expensive medications. Indeed, local production will likely be inexpensive, as cannabis grows very well in Thailand’s climate. In any case, all of this points to the possibility of cannabis legalization in Thailand. This would be a first in Asia.