Thailand’s FDA plans “Cannabis Sandbox” entry scheme for tourists

Stock photo by crystal weed cannabis on Unsplash

A “Cannabis Sandbox” entry scheme is being discussed to draw in marijuana enthusiasts from overseas. Yes… we said cannabis. But don’t get too excited. When the government talks about cannabis, they mean parts of the plant with low (very low) traces of the psychoactive component THC.

The Thai Food and Drug Administration mentioned the idea of a “Cannabis Sandbox” for those entering Thailand from overseas, allowing travellers to roam freely in approved districts or provinces without undergoing a strict quarantine. In this case, cannabis products would be involved, just no joints or “happy brownies.” The government will have a public hearing on the marijuana travel scheme next month.

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The secretary-general of the FDA, Paisarn Dunkum, told Thai media that they are working on the Cannabis Act which is expected to allow people over 20 years old to use cannabis for recreational purposes in a specific area approved by the authorities like the Sandbox scheme. At the moment, cannabis with traces of the high-inducing THC that are more than 0.2% is still illegal.

Paisarn told reporters that people under 20 years old, pregnant women, and lactating women would not be allowed to enter under the “Cannabis Sandbox.” For travellers who get sick during their trip, they can have cannabis products included in their treatment.

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FDA authorities told Thai media that they are also working on the Cannabis Act following the decision from the Public Health Ministry’s narcotics control committee to remove cannabis from its narcotics list. The Cannabis Act will focus on planting and growing cannabis at home for medical purposes, using cannabis as a herb, adding economic value to cannabis, and preventing it from being misused.

Cannabis sandbox
Photo via Thai FDA Facebook page

SOURCES: HFocus | Matichon | Dailynews | The Pattaya News

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Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.

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