Thailand’s Health Minister Anutin defends Cannabis Bill in parliament

[snoop1130]

 

Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told members of parliament today (Thursday) that liberalisation of cannabis remains the government’s policy, but there are controls to prevent its non-medical use.

 

Responding to an interpellation, raised by Supachai Jaisamut, a member of the Bhumjaithai Party, Anutin, who is also leader of the party, insisted that the Bill to decriminalise the plant and to treat cannabis as a controlled herb was not decided upon by the Public Health Ministry alone, but that it has been through the screening process using scientific evidence confirming its merits and demerits.

 

He also said that the Bill does not belong to the Bhumjaithai Party, but was endorsed by the House Scrutiny Committee, which contains representation from government and opposition parties.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-health-minister-anutin-defends-cannabis-bill-in-parliament/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-11-24

 

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[peter zwart]

Im afraid for mr Anutin that his reputation under the thai people has gone south. Dont think he have any chance anymore to be the next PM. 

[ikke1959]

If they investigated the whole cannabis issues as they are doing with the Civil Union Bill cq Gay Marriage it would have taken more than 10 years before there was a decision, but now without knowing and thinking about the consequences you could expect problems with the cannabis laws.. Maybe do some research in the Netherlands

[webfact]

Cannabis revolution targeted as MPs and public confront the Bhumjaithai Party’s populist gambit
by Joseph O' Connor

 

Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul is clinging to his signature achievement in power which has come to be seen as the complete legalisation of cannabis in Thailand even though the Bhumjaithai Party and Mr Anutin himself have claimed not to support widespread cannabis use.

What MPs have described as a ‘distorted’ marijuana bill which was supposed to control the recreational use of the drugs has instead provided a framework for just that which it was supposed to suppress with minor, obvious and insignificant restrictions.

 

The revolt against the bill in September has already led to bad blood between the Bhumjaithai Party and Democrat Party in the coalition government. It will be a contentious issue for the next General Election when the public will have its voice on the subject. It is an issue which will decide the future course of the populist Bhumjaithai Party which has now staked its future on the mission to legalise pot and placing it at the centre of the economy.

On Tuesday, a few hundred protesters took to the streets of Bangkok calling for Thailand’s cannabis or marijuana revolution, launched on June 9th last by the Bhumjaithai Party and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, not to be rolled back. However, with a significant grassroots movement at the constituency level opposed to the current cannabis free for all and a majority of politicians in parliament determined to put a stop to the situation, the future of the country’s growing number of cannabis joint shops and vision of the Bhumjaithai Party may be soon be put to the test and sword.

 

Top medical figures and politicians on November 10th submitted a petition to the Administrative Court to strike down Minister Anutin’s ministerial order and pot legalisation revolution. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear that this will be a hot and divisive issue in the General Election next year with a vote for the Bhumjaithai Party becoming a vote for the future of cannabis in Thailand, a drug that is still opposed by many and only used by a small minority for recreational purposes.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/11/24/recreational-cannabis-targeted-as-mps-revolt-anutin-bhumjaithai/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-11-25

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

[Aussieroaming]

Of course he defends the Bill, to do otherwise would be to admit that his roll out of the Cannabis legislation was ill thought out.

 

Not to mention his pecuniary interests.

[jack7106]

I am extremely happy with the status quo and took a trip last night around where I live in Pattaya for 26 years. Absolutely unbelievable the amount of marijuana vans/shops/outdoor venues. Absolutely amazed but they are bloody expensive and I am waiting on my order. Happy days indeed????????????????

[nobodysfriend]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

a drug that is still opposed by many and only used by a small minority for recreational purposes.

small minority ? I doubt that ....

[kingstonkid]

38 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

small minority ? I doubt that ....

It is not so much a small minority which I think it is a minority the problem is that it is wanted by an even smaller minority of those that actually vote

[JBChiangRai]

You only need to do a google search with "marijuana" and any reputable scientific body e.g. Lancet or BMJ to see that there is a huge amount of peer reviewed studies confirming recreational use of same is extremely bad, but there are some benefits to medicinal only use.

 

The government here has opened the door to both, the initial policy was ill conceived and even poorly implemented.

[DUNROAMIN]

Of course it will while its lining his pockets and his corrupt mates with cash.

[stoner]

1 hour ago, Aussieroaming said:

Not to mention his pecuniary interests.

you jealous ? maybe you should of got in on the action and made some investment too.

[JimboB4]

It’s obvious the opposition has there people in the media trying to write their way out of cannabis being legal but it’s too late baby, oh baby it’s too late, though we really diiid try to make it. 

[Raymonddiaz]

If Alcohol is legal so canabis should be legal too because alcohol is more dangerous than canabis....

[khunjeff]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

liberalisation of cannabis remains the government’s policy, but there are controls to prevent its non-medical use.

Haha, he's so funny - the only "control" appears to be the limited supply of green neon marijuana leaves needed to decorate the weed shop storefronts. 

 

"In the summer, senior police officers voiced concerns about this including the threat of car drivers under the influence of marijuana wreaking havoc on Thai roads."

 

More comedy. Where's the concern about non-users wreaking havoc on roads? Or mayhem and death on the highways are fine, as long as they're not connected with weed? 

 

 

[MrJ2U]

10 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Im afraid for mr Anutin that his reputation under the thai people has gone south. Dont think he have any chance anymore to be the next PM. 

He's never been popular Besides his home province of Burriram.

 

He's consistently polled in low single digits.  

 

 

[daveAustin]

10 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Im afraid for mr Anutin that his reputation under the thai people has gone south. Dont think he have any chance anymore to be the next PM. 

Do you speak for the Thai people? Think you’ll find he’s gone up in estimation by a huge number of Thais, where previously he was despised by just about all. 

[daveAustin]

Amusing seeing all the reefer madness jobs piling on these threads. Give it up folks. 

[David T Pike]

Cannabis can and has healed way more then it has harmed. Not so much with alcohol or tobacco and it is indeed "madness" to draw any other conclusion.

[Snig27]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

You only need to do a google search with "marijuana" and any reputable scientific body e.g. Lancet or BMJ to see that there is a huge amount of peer reviewed studies confirming recreational use of same is extremely bad, but there are some benefits to medicinal only use.

You only need to read that data to understand that you are talking drivel. There are mild effects that result from use but generally far less damaging than countless other things. Coffee has similar side effects. 

 

And what right do self important old busy bodies like you have to tell other people what they can do with their own bodies?

[Snig27]

38 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

Where's the concern about non-users wreaking havoc on roads?

Exactly. Where is the concern about paranoid old nitwits making up fictional ganja induced havoc on the roads? 

[LukKrueng]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

only used by a small minority for recreational purposes

So what's the problem?

[bamnutsak]

It's cute that people think that the PM is elected by the "Thai people".

 

A PM candidate doesn't even have to be an MP.

 

Assuming a non-RTA person could be (s)elected as PM, and that's a long-shot, Anutin has the best odds, maybe other than Paetongtarn.

 

 

I read some of his comments in this Parliament appearance. Thought he did a good job of positioning the current status of cannabis legalization.

 

BJT ran on Cannabis legalization as a main part of their platform, including recreational ("California Model").

 

Normally when politicians fulfill their promises we hail them.

 

 

The process so far has not been as bad as opponennts like to highlight. A few minor bumps in ~ 5 months, with significant progress, and almost no major health/societal problems. I'd call it amazing. In my home state it took three years from ballot initiative to the first recreational dispensary opening. New York State did a bit better, March 2021 until just this week for the first licenses to be issued.

 

Now if Democracy could be "legalized".

 

 

[Rhys]

11 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Im afraid for mr Anutin that his reputation under the thai people has gone south. Dont think he have any chance anymore to be the next PM. 

Yeah, but he has the baht to buy it..

 

[dpcjsr]

Do you own your body or are you owned by the government? If you own your body then it is none of their business what you do with it including misuse it. If they own your body then you are a slave. Up to you. 

[JBChiangRai]

1 hour ago, Snig27 said:

You only need to read that data to understand that you are talking drivel. There are mild effects that result from use but generally far less damaging than countless other things. Coffee has similar side effects. 

 

 

I will continue to put my faith in peer reviewed studies published in respected scientific journals.

 

 Come on then, back up your opinion with some peer reviewed studies then?  Or do you prefer talking through your anus?

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told members of parliament today (Thursday) that liberalisation of cannabis remains the government’s policy, but there are controls to prevent its non-medical use.

Zero controls, by their own admission it's a free for all..

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

What MPs have described as a ‘distorted’ marijuana bill which was supposed to control the recreational use of the drugs has instead provided a framework for just that which it was supposed to suppress with minor, obvious and insignificant restrictions.

Exactly... farcical non-medical use law.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

It is an issue which will decide the future course of the populist Bhumjaithai Party which has now staked its future on the mission to legalise pot and placing it at the centre of the economy.

As we thought.. Sex, Drugs and Alcohol 

3 things for which Thailand is well known for.

[TingTonger]

4 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

He's never been popular Besides his home province of Burriram.

 

He's consistently polled in low single digits.  

 

 

At the moment he’s my Number 1 Hero 

[TingTonger]

4 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Amusing seeing all the reefer madness jobs piling on these threads. Give it up folks. 

I don’t get it like there  some competition between Drunks and Pot Heads , Give it up Drunks