On Thursday, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize cannabis, CNN Travel reported. Cannabis was delisted from the Category 5 narcotics list to allow Thais to legally grow cannabis plants at home and sell the crop. The government hopes this move will boost agriculture and tourism in Thailand. The country was also the first Southeast Asian country to legalize cannabis for medicinal use in 2018.
However, even with this legalization, recreational use of cannabis is still prohibited in the country and the penalties for those who use cannabis to get high, will remain. Also, anybody caught smoking in public will face up to three (3) months in jail and an $800 fine. However, according to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), those caught in possession of cannabis will not be arrested.
Thai Health Minister, who is also a deputy prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, recently warned that recreational use of cannabis is still a “no.” He said, “We still have regulations under the law that control the consumption, smoking, or use of cannabis products in non-productive ways. There has never been a moment that we would think about advocating people to use cannabis in terms of recreation – or use it in a way that could irritate others.” Charnvirakul also announced that the ministry plans to give away a million marijuana plants.
After this decriminalization of cannabis has been enacted, parts of the plants can be used to treat an illness and cafes and restaurants are free to serve cannabis-infused foods and drinks containing less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Since this announcement, more than 100,000 budding cannabis growers have registered and submitted mobile applications to grow cannabis. Cultivators are to take permission from the country’s FDA either through the ‘Plook Ganja’ website or the ‘Plook Ganja’ mobile application.
Furthermore, more than 3,000 convicted for cannabis-related crimes will be released from prison nationwide. According to the Office of the Judiciary, ongoing cannabis-related trials and detention will also be canceled now that cannabis has been decriminalized.
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