Future Thailand PM at odds with cannabis sellers and government over drug law reform
Cannabis sellers and several governmental departments have clashed with future Prime Minister, Pita Limcharoenrat, and his Move Forward Party (MFP) over the reclassification of cannabis and the reversal of the drug laws. The sellers are demanding clear clarification from the concerned departments on this issue.
On Monday, May 22, the MFP, led by Pita, and leaders of the coalition parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlined their collective goals in preparation for a government. The MOU includes 23 missions, and one of them is to reclassify cannabis as a controlled substance.
This mission drew significant criticism from cannabis sellers and relevant government departments. Yesterday, the spokesperson from the Parliamentary Commission that created the Hemp and Cannabis Act, Panthep Puapongphan, expressed his complete disagreement with the MFP’s stance. Panthep said…
“By immediately reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic, many patients who use it for medicinal purposes will potentially face legal repercussions. Some patients rely on cannabis without a doctor’s prescription. Perhaps Pita fails to understand this point. Addiction to cannabis is harder than addiction to alcohol and cigarettes. MFP supports a progressive alcohol bill instead of cannabis that has more benefits.”
The leader of Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future, Prasitchai Noonuan, revealed that he and other supporters disagreed with the idea and would protest the move. Prasitchai added that he would stop if the MFP and Pita could answer why cannabis is worse than alcohol and cigarettes and how the progressive alcohol bill will affect the community.
A cannabis shop owner in Pattaya, Nut Gan @Pattaya, Preeda Chaiyo, revealed during an interview with KhaoSod that the entrepreneurs do not fully agree with the current discussions regarding cannabis, as they see it as an economic crop with more benefits than drawbacks. However, the shop owners respect the regulations and are looking forward to the government’s clear stance on the matter.
Preeda added that many candidates from the MFP who received votes from people in touristy areas such as Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok should be well aware of the potential economic benefits of cannabis.
