Thailand: medical cannabis in April 2019

Last May, Thailand's military government has given the green light the amendment of anti-drug laws to enable research into therapeutic effects of cannabis on humans. The new law is currently being debated in the National Legislative Assembly, and the new regulations are expected to be approved during April 2019. On that date, Thailand will be the first country in Asia to partially legalize cannabis.

A requested opening

As it stands, Thailand's anti-drug laws provide for prison sentences of up to 15 years for any possession of cannabis. As cannabis is classified as a category 5 narcotic, there is no tolerance for it, not even in its medical form.

The government's Pharmaceutical Organization, subordinate to the Ministry of Public Health, had lobbied for the development of medical cannabis research and, ultimately, for the commercialization of the plant.

The Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Pcl, Thailand's largest network of private clinics, as well as certain government organizations and medical companies, could therefore obtain licenses from the Ministry of Public Health to conduct studies once the law takes effect in April 2019.

The Secretary General of the Narcotics Bureau, Wichai Chaimongkhon, describes the amendment as an attempt to make the country more «international», i.e. to join the global trend of research around the therapeutic virtues of cannabis. He adds: «If it's proven that cannabis can cure diseases such as Parkinson's, cancer and depression then I think it's a benefit and could create revenue if we export it to other countries».

The National Farmers' Council is currently negotiating with the Narcotics Control Bureau to assign land for cannabis cultivation. According to the Bangkok Post, the two parties had considered some 800 hectares of land located in the military zone of Sakon Nakhon province, which enjoys an optimal climate for cannabis cultivation.

Market pressure

Today, cannabis cultivation is emerging as an opportunity to conquer a booming global market that is becoming increasingly complex. could reach $57 billion within 10 years.

From this point of view, Thailand possesses natural attributes that could well make it one of the capitals of cannabis production: production costs are relatively low, and the tropical climate is conducive to cultivation, reducing the costs associated with artificial light and temperature control.

What's more, Thailand enjoys a certain reputation in the field. In the 1980s, the country was one of the world's leading cannabis exporters, with traditional strains reputed to be the best in the world, according to Dr. Nopporn Cheanklin, Director General of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.

According to Jim Plamondon, vice-president of the country's first legal cannabis company, the benefits also extend to distribution channels, Thaï Cannabis Corp No other country offers the combination of advantages that Thailand does within a single jurisdiction (...) Thailand not only has a large medical tourism industry, it also has a regulated and standardized system of traditional medicine that is unrivalled«.