Safety ‘top priority’ for cannabis growers

By THE NATION

 

// EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

FDA open to outdoor or indoor cultivation; Chula lecturer warns of the negative side

 

AUTHORITIES will allow both indoor and outdoor cannabis plantations as long as a proper mechanism is in place to guarantee plant quality. 

 

“A closed system is a must. But that does not mean cannabis must be grown indoors only,” Food and Drug Administration (FDA) secretary-general Tares Krassanairawiwong said yesterday.

 

He said growers needed to put in place good standards so as to guarantee the safety of the yields from their plantations.

 

“Cannabis will be used by patients. So, it must be free from toxic substances, heavy metals, fungi or any other harmful contaminants,” Tares said.

 

Tares is acting secretary of the Narcotics Control Committee, FDA is now playing a supervisory role over cannabis plantations and usage.

 

Although Thailand has already legalised medical marijuana, unauthorised cannabis usage and possession remain a crime. Current users and possessors can claim amnesty if they come forward by May 19. 

 

Since authorities started accepting requests for amnesty late last month, 48 people with cannabis have so far made a voluntary disclosure. The FDA hotline has already answered about 3,000 inquiries related to cannabis. Those interested in growing cannabis to support research and to use for medical purposes, can check: http://www.fda.moph.go.th/sites/Narcotics/SitePages/MARIJUANA62.aspx.

 

Tares said community enterprises, for example, could seek permission to grow cannabis, too, if they collaborate with or work under the supervision of a government agency or a private university. 

 

Rangsit University (RSU) has signed an agreement with the National Farmers Council for collaboration in growing cannabis for research, training and medical treatment. 

 

It is widely believed that cannabis has |many benefits for patients, including cancer patients. 

 

Earlier this week, RSU president Dr Arthit Ourairat described his institute as the only university that had for long conducted marijuana research. 

 

“We are thus well prepared to handle research and the production of medicines for both modern medicines and traditional Thai medicines,” he said. 

 

He said RSU’s collaboration with the farmers’ council would help integrate farmers into the pharmaceutical industry.   

 

The council’s chairman, Prapat Panyachartrak, said many farmers knew how to extract useful substances from cannabis as they used pot for their health conditions. 

 

“But they still lack solid knowledge. So, we trust that the collaboration with the RSU will deliver mutual benefits,” he said. 

 

Dr Thira Woratanarat, a medical lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, however warned via Facebook that a recently released academic article pointed to the negative side of medical marijuana. 

 

“Many countries are now trying to make a |U-turn on the use of medical marijuana,” he said. 

 

Thira said foreign countries that legalised medical marijuana decades ago are starting to recognise the negative impacts now. 

 

The medical lecturer said the article, published in the February edition of the Journal of American Medical Association, suggested that research findings about cannabis being effective to relieve pain were not very solid. 

 

Thira said the article also pointed out that patients with chronic pain felt more pain after four years of using marijuana in place of opioids. 

 

“If social media continued to portray cannabis as if it were a miracle cure, the risks would soar,” Thira warned.

 

He said the medical world used to introduce morphine in the hope of stopping alcohol addiction but the problem did not end. 

 

“In the end, some even introduced cocaine and the problem only got more complicated,” he lamented.

 

Thira said research has shown that marijuana can lead to addiction and gateway effects, or lead users to other types of narcotics.

 

“Some research has also linked marijuana to causing brain damage in children, memory problems, depression and road accidents,” he said. 

 

Thira warned that road accidents could cause serious injuries and even deaths.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365254

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-06

Thira said research has shown that marijuana can lead to addiction and gateway effects, or lead users to other types of narcotics.

 

Nonsense!

Conclusively debunked.

Addictive potential is extremely limited, and largely psychological, not pathological. So you can choose to quit anytime, with few if any withdrawal cravings.

Users use other types of drugs because they're inclined to use drugs, period.

 

Thira warned that road accidents could cause serious injuries and even deaths.

 

Give this guy the Nobel prize for Causation Theory.

 

Thai antics, and the way they're reported, is like The Onion written on acid 555

Edited March 5, 20197 yr by Small Joke

"...Thira said research has shown that marijuana can lead to addiction and gateway effects, or lead users to other types of narcotics. 

“Some research has also linked marijuana to causing brain damage in children, memory problems, depression and road accidents,” he said. 

Thira warned that road accidents could cause serious injuries and even deaths..."

 

Let me see if I understand this "Doctor's" logical process to its fullest...

 

Weed leads to other narcotics...

Other narcotics lead to... 'memory problems'...

'Memory' problems' leads to... road accidents...

A user might crash their car into a nuclear power plant...

A nuclear power plant might melt down after a car crash...

Therefore...

Weed leads to a terrible death from uncontrolled radiation.

 

Okay, got it now.

 

Wow.

 

 

Edited March 5, 20197 yr by Samui Bodoh

Let's pull this prohibition claptrap apart just for shits and giggles then, Dr.

 

Some research has also linked marijuana to causing brain damage in children, memory problems, depression and road accidents,” he said. 

 

And so you're creating a false panic by implying that children could get their hands on it (sold in a controlled environment, unlike when a dealer does it criminally)  and then presumably use it to the point of brain damage?

Or are you feeding off the trope that one single dose of anything creates an unstoppable spiral to addiction, both unsupported in medical fact.

 

Memory problems, yes true, and tell the masses that they're reversible with abstinence, ageing also leads to memory problems, possibly excessive drinking too, whoop de do.

And here's a flash of brilliance, but if one is worried about memory problems, one can just Er, not do drugs! OMG radical, I know!

 

Legalizing them won't make the world rush out and get high, any more than legal booze compels everyone to grab a vodka shot with their morning Joe. Let's be real, whydoncha?

 

Depression, yes partly true, like alcohol, it can exacerbate preexisting issues or moods, and it can also bring some people out of a mild funk, perhaps brought on by reading regurgitated falsehoods, and  warped factoids, published for the benefit of the tobacco and booze lobby, I guess, because there's no other reason to be having this tired old discussion, AGAIN bub.

 

Studies in the Netherlands found cannabis impaired drivers behaved with MORE or equal caution to those sober. 

 

Someone using to the point of being couch-bound, ain't going nowhere anyway. 

Legal alcohol however, creates a deadly cocktail of unwarranted confidence and poor judgement.

 

Go have a smoke, Khun Thira, you'd likely make more sense then, 555

Edited March 5, 20197 yr by Small Joke

They ruin just about everything they grow here with overuse of pesticides. Can’t imagine this will be any different. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Cannabis will be used by patients. So, it must be free from toxic substances, heavy metals, 

Last Heavy Metal gig I went to there was loads of ganja in evidence .. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Since authorities started accepting requests for amnesty late last month, 48 people with cannabis have so far made a voluntary disclosure.

 

“Some research has also linked marijuana to causing brain damage in children, memory problems, depression and road accidents,” he said. 

-  "Brain damage in children" Ive seen Charlotte's web effect on the child who has dravet syndrome and from 100 + seizures per day to 3-5 per day.

-memory problems??  maybe you forget you already ate and you eat again.

- depression??  nahhh you'll be laughing your a$$ off to a walking ant

- Road accidents?? nah I dont think you could cause an accident at 20kph LOL

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Thira Woratanarat, a medical lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, however warned via Facebook that a recently released academic article pointed to the negative side of medical marijuana. 

My guess is that the dear doctor is probably in the camp that believes strongly that people who are suffering from pain are simply playing out their own negative karma, and that the medical doctors and community have no right to intervene by administering palliative care.  Patients no doubt should simply suffer, some in agony, because it is their Lot in life. 
Personally I believe that those doctors and medical practitioners who fail to provide palliative care that is readily available will, at the end of the day, accumulate massive amounts of negative karma as a direct result of their inaction to alleviate patient suffering when they have the drugs to do so, but choose instead to not use them.  I believe that those who choose to withhold drug-based palliative care for the suffering are the worst sort of monsters roaming the planet.  Withholding available palliative drugs is an evil, vile decision to make.  That goes double for the legislators, politicians, and authorities who make it next to impossible to obtain palliative medicines that are widely available throughout the world.  These creatures are devoid of human compassion.

"Thira said research has shown that marijuana can lead to addiction and gateway effects, or lead users to other types of narcotics."

Does that mean that drinking water can lead to alcohol? or Smoking cigarettes can lead to smoking crack?

 

 

I thought safety for growers was going to warn about the risk of them being found dead with their weed and money missing.

Yes the public must be warned!

 

 

Cannibis has been completely legal in Canada for 6 months. No increase in auto accident rates and very few impaired driving charges via cannibis. Alcohol continues to be the biggest cause of serious accidents and impaired charges. Will be the same in Thailand

Beggars belief!!!!

 

There won't be real positive change with the liberalization of the herb in this country till all the medical dinosaurs are dead. Canada would of changed sooner but the various governments listened to the beacons  (ancient health Canada physicians) of big pharm for much too long. All this won't sort out for a decade unless lets say a neighboring country goes full tilt legal dope tourism. That could shift some tourism numbers in certain party venues causing the government to want to get on the green train. Other than that I see the process moving way too slow.