Thailand speeds up passage of laws authorizing the cultivation of medical cannabis

Thailand is accelerating legislative changes related to its emerging medical cannabis industry.

Like announced in September, upcoming changes will allow each household to grow six cannabis plants in order to increase the supply of medical products, Anutin Charnvirakul said in a speech last Wednesday in Bangkok. This decision will also enable Thais to increase their income by selling their harvest to the government. The eligibility criteria have not yet been announced, but Anutin Charnvirakul proposed a price of 20,251 TP4T per mature medical-grade cannabis plant (equivalent to three months of the average monthly salary in Thailand).

«We are in the process of amending the laws to freely authorize the use of cannabis for medical purposes,» he said. «We are confident that cannabis will become one of the main agricultural products for Thai households. We are accelerating the legislative changes. But there is a process to follow.»

A rushed legalization

Last year, Thailand became the the leading country in Southeast Asia to legalize the medical use of cannabis. Far from dragging its feet, it has, on the contrary, done everything possible to both develop its domestic and international industries to the fullest extent and ensure broad access to cannabis for patients. The country has even already developed its own cannabis strains so as not to be dependent on potential imports.

Possession of cannabis for recreational use, however, is still punishable by long prison sentences and heavy fines, which has so far prevented households from growing the plant.

Anutin Charnvirakul said that legalizing cannabis for adults is the next step, but that it is not expected to happen during the four-year term of the current government, which took office in July.

«We need more research and studies before legalizing the recreational use of cannabis,» he said.

Anutin Charnvirakul campaigned for the legalization of household farming during Thailand's general election in March. His party, Bhum Jai Thai, is now part of the ruling coalition.

Next year, Thailand will host The First World Ganja Festival. The event will feature educational seminars, information on technological innovations and business opportunities, and will help bring the country’s industry to the forefront of the international stage. The festival is scheduled for January 29 through February 2 at a site near the Nong Yat Reservoir in Nakhon Phanom Province.