Thailand looks to loosen laws on cannabis with low THC content

As Thailand gets more cannabis friendly, with a boom in products stamped with a pot leaf logo, cafes selling cannabinol tea, even Pizza Company is selling a “Crazy Happy Pizza,” the government looking to loosen laws even more on the once criminalised plant.

Parts of the plant with low traves of the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol, like the leaves and stem, were taken off the Narcotics List in December 2020. While the flowers and buds remained classified as a Category 5 narcotic as those parts were typically rich in THC.

But laws, classifying some parts of the plant legal while parts illegal, prevented commercialism of the plant. Now, cannabis flowers and buds, with less than 0.2% THC, will be legal to use, process, and sell.

Under a new Narcotics Code, which the Bangkok Post says went into effect on Thursday, cannabis is no longer listed, but the Public Health Ministry still needs to announce a revised narcotics list. Cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% of THC will still be illegal.

The Ministry is pushing to fully legalise the cannabis plant, with Public Health Minister and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party party Anutin Charnvirakul has been on the forefront of cannabis legalisation. Over the weekend, he visited Nakhon Phanom for the “Cannabis Kickoff on Mekong Bank.”

“What we have achieved so far is to declare that cannabis stems, roots, leaves and sprigs are not drugs. Starting next year, we’ll remove everything — stems, roots, sprigs, leaves, buds, flowers and seeds — from the narcotics list.”

At the event over the weekend, Anutin encouraged the public to start growing cannabis for some extra cash. Those with permission from the government can grow cannabis and there is no cap on how many plants each household can grow.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post