Thailand to allow people to grow unlimited number of cannabis plants
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THAILAND will soon allow people to grow an unlimited number of cannabis plants at home as it is scheduled to be removed from its prohibited narcotics list on Thursday.
However, homegrown cannabis is allowed only for health and medical purposes and is not to be used for recreation.
According to a Bangkok Post report, people have to first register their intent to cultivate with provincial administrative organisations, or via a mobile app developed and operated by the country's Food and Drug Administration.
Authorities have also warned that cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2 per cent of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are still banned under the nation's drug laws.
Anyone who intends to grow the marijuana plants for commercial purposes will have to seek permission from the authorities.
As only the oil extracted from marijuana with a THC content greater than 0.2 per cent will be categorised as a narcotic, other parts can be legally planted and traded for medical purposes, health promotion and other businesses.
Medicine and nutritional supplements distributor JSP Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Thailand) chief executive Sittichai Daengpraserta said the delisting should kickstart the development of cannabis in a range of industries.
Marking a new era for the plant in Thailand, he said entrepreneurs will be able to set up new businesses while the public will have a new medical treatment option.
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil extracted from cannabis is used for the treatment of many ailments and according to JSP, the CBD oil market has an estimated value of 100 billion baht.
The Post report said JSP and representatives of cannabis farmers and factory operators recently met Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss a proposal to reduce the legal procedures required to run cannabis related businesses.
The easing of these rules should help community enterprises that plant marijuana and supply it to factories, said Sittichai.
He said JSP was in talks with cannabis and hemp associations on the proposal to set median prices for the plants and their extracted substances to prevent a price war, which will directly affect farmers.
"This will ensure fair prices in the market and prevent large wealthy companies from buying plants in huge amounts."
With five large listed companies having entered into the cannabis sector, there is concern it may affect small and medium-sized companies as there are fears that this could lead to market monopoly.
Thai Chamber of Commerce chairman Sanan Angubolkul said although Thailand was an agricultural country, most farmers own relatively small plots of land and their numbers were also diminishing as new generations migrated to cities.
In addition, he said farmers faced many problems such as climate change, unstable crop prices, and a lack of knowledge about farming management and development.
"Promoting cannabis cultivation in Thailand is the correct move as many countries around the world move to push it as an economic crop," Sanan said.
"Strong global demand for cannabis will help raise Thai farmers' income and narrow inequality in the agricultural sector."
However, he said promoting cannabis as a cash crop may be a challenge because of its reputation as a narcotic, possibly causing doubts among the public.
Sanan said all aspects of cultivation, extraction, processing into medicine, distribution, and supervisory laws and regulations, also needed to be clarified by the authorities to provide better public understanding.
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However, homegrown cannabis is allowed only for health and medical purposes and is not to be used for recreation.
According to a Bangkok Post report, people have to first register their intent to cultivate with provincial administrative organisations, or via a mobile app developed and operated by the country's Food and Drug Administration.
Authorities have also warned that cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2 per cent of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are still banned under the nation's drug laws.
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Anyone who intends to grow the marijuana plants for commercial purposes will have to seek permission from the authorities.
As only the oil extracted from marijuana with a THC content greater than 0.2 per cent will be categorised as a narcotic, other parts can be legally planted and traded for medical purposes, health promotion and other businesses.
Medicine and nutritional supplements distributor JSP Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Thailand) chief executive Sittichai Daengpraserta said the delisting should kickstart the development of cannabis in a range of industries.
Marking a new era for the plant in Thailand, he said entrepreneurs will be able to set up new businesses while the public will have a new medical treatment option.
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil extracted from cannabis is used for the treatment of many ailments and according to JSP, the CBD oil market has an estimated value of 100 billion baht.
The Post report said JSP and representatives of cannabis farmers and factory operators recently met Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss a proposal to reduce the legal procedures required to run cannabis related businesses.
The easing of these rules should help community enterprises that plant marijuana and supply it to factories, said Sittichai.
He said JSP was in talks with cannabis and hemp associations on the proposal to set median prices for the plants and their extracted substances to prevent a price war, which will directly affect farmers.
"This will ensure fair prices in the market and prevent large wealthy companies from buying plants in huge amounts."
With five large listed companies having entered into the cannabis sector, there is concern it may affect small and medium-sized companies as there are fears that this could lead to market monopoly.
Thai Chamber of Commerce chairman Sanan Angubolkul said although Thailand was an agricultural country, most farmers own relatively small plots of land and their numbers were also diminishing as new generations migrated to cities.
In addition, he said farmers faced many problems such as climate change, unstable crop prices, and a lack of knowledge about farming management and development.
"Promoting cannabis cultivation in Thailand is the correct move as many countries around the world move to push it as an economic crop," Sanan said.
"Strong global demand for cannabis will help raise Thai farmers' income and narrow inequality in the agricultural sector."
However, he said promoting cannabis as a cash crop may be a challenge because of its reputation as a narcotic, possibly causing doubts among the public.
Sanan said all aspects of cultivation, extraction, processing into medicine, distribution, and supervisory laws and regulations, also needed to be clarified by the authorities to provide better public understanding.
