Police in Isaan Thailand told to be lenient with cannabis growers after grandma’s arrest

Following the arrest of a 70-year-old woman and her relative for growing a cannabis plant at their home in the Isaan province Khon Kaen, local police have been advised to use common sense, and good judgment when enforcing the laws on cannabis as Thailand loosens laws to become more marijuana-friendly.

The women spent the night in jail and were punished for illegally possessing a Category 5 narcotic. The grandma told police she boils the leaves to make medicine to treat her illnesses. Since then, the commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 4 told officers in the region to be more lenient with those who grow cannabis for medicinal purposes, like the grandma.

• Read 70 year old grandma in Isaan Thailand arrested for growing one cannabis plant

A police spokesperson says that Thais caught growing the plant should be given a warning, rather than getting arrested. He added that laws against cannabis are in place to prevent people from using it as a narcotic drug and those who intend to use the plant for other reasons, like medicinal purposes, should be given a warning rather than immediate legal action.

“Even if they are found to lack permission to grow any cannabis plant, a suspect should instead be given a warning and told why it is illegal for them to possess the plant.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post