Anutin: Confident that Cannabis bill will pass into law - calls weed a savior for the poor worth 30 billion baht

[webfact]

Picture: Naew Na

 

Thai media were full of stories about deputy prime minister and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul who was at an event in Kanchanaburi singing the praises of weed.

 

The legalization of the drug was a key mainfesto promise of the Bhumjaithai leader at the last election, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

Legalization followed last June though a committee reviewing the details has yet to resolve all the finer points.

 

Naew Na reported that Anutin was confident that the Cannabis Act would pass into law despite actions in the house stalling matters.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath quoted him as saying that weed was an antidote to poverty and pain and would put 30 billion baht into the economy.

 

He said that people shouldn't just blame marijuana and bang on about it making the user high.

 

It was all in how it was used.

 

The news came on the same day that the Pattaya police chief found an automatic vending machine selling marijuana products as well as vaping devices on the holiday island of Koh Lan.

 

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[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai Rath quoted him as saying that weed was an antidote to poverty and pain and would put 30 billion baht into the economy.

So just how will this help the poor out of poverty?

[ezzra]

This is a very touchy topic as many members here are a strong proponent of the free use of gunja and probably all kind of drugs, try to say something and you'll be vilified and ridiculed, so mum's the word..

[bamnutsak]

4 minutes ago, ezzra said:

This is a very touchy topic as many members here are a strong proponent of the free use of gunja and probably all kind of drugs, try to say something and you'll be vilified and ridiculed, so mum's the word..

You are free to express your opinions. I think you know that.

 

It's any competing opinions, and criticism, that you find objectionable. And then you feel all vilified and ridiculed.

 

Anutin/Chidchob/BJT ran on cannabis legalization, specifically medical and recreational - "The California Model". They joined a coalition and got MoH and MoT. Anutin decriminalized Cannabis flower with the stroke of a pen. Isn't this what we expect politicians to do? Publish a platform, run on it, and if elected complete those things promised in the platform.

 

The Cannabis Bill will pass in the next Parliamentary session. Nothing really will change, there will just be layers of bureucracy. Cannabis flowers will still be legal, as will personal use.

 

 

 

 

[sidneybear]

How does turning Thailand into a nation of potheads alleviate poverty? I think Anutin has been smoking too much of the stuff himself. 

[sidneybear]

27 minutes ago, ezzra said:

This is a very touchy topic as many members here are a strong proponent of the free use of gunja and probably all kind of drugs, try to say something and you'll be vilified and ridiculed, so mum's the word..

Well observed. The big dope lobby uses clever marketing to build a huge and committed fan base, who are rather intolerant of dissent. 

[stoner]

30 minutes ago, ezzra said:

This is a very touchy topic as many members here are a strong proponent of the free use of gunja and probably all kind of drugs, try to say something and you'll be vilified and ridiculed, so mum's the word..

speak your mind freely. however if you spout off nonsense garbage and old ingrained myths don't be upset when you are called out and/or ridiculed for it. 

 

most of us are more than willing to have a sensible conversation about the subject. 

 

are you ? 

[sidneybear]

5 minutes ago, stoner said:

speak your mind freely. however if you spout off nonsense garbage and old ingrained myths don't be upset when you are called out and/or ridiculed for it. 

This style of unprovoked rudeness epitomises the intolerance of the dope lobby fan base. 

[alex8912]

17 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

This style of unprovoked rudeness epitomises the intolerance of the dope lobby fan base. 

Where was the rudeness?  And what the heck is your made up dope lobby lol??

[bamnutsak]

5 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Where was the rudeness?  And what the heck is your made up dope lobby lol??

I think that was sidneybear being proactively rude and intolerant, by insulting those who are pro-cannabis.

 

When you can't fashion a logical and cogent argument, just sling thinly-veiled insults.

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

This is a very touchy topic as many members here are a strong proponent of the free use of gunja and probably all kind of drugs, try to say something and you'll be vilified and ridiculed, so mum's the word..

Weren't you thinking of setting up as a drug dealer in another thread?

[bamnutsak]

47 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

How does turning Thailand into a nation of potheads alleviate poverty?

Well it's aleady a nation of meth-heads.

[rabiedabruce]

Well mellowing out on weed's better than death by LaoKao because they can't afford any better spirits. Meanwhile, the Amart sip their champagne and count their money. Parasites.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

"The California Model"

"We were always high. That was the job." - Tommy Chong

 

[daveAustin]

1 hour ago, sidneybear said:

This style of unprovoked rudeness epitomises the intolerance of the dope lobby fan base. 

 Eh? Valid comment calling out a semi-inflammatory post. Perhaps have a reread. 
 

Not a pothead by any stretch but reckon people should have a choice on this relatively benign substance. Regards helping poor people, clearly they can make money by growing and selling. 
 

Kudos to Anutin. Good to see him get summat right. 

[GroveHillWanderer]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

So just how will this help the poor out of poverty?

I think the idea is that the rural poor living in agricultural households (who are the majority) will be able to switch to a more lucrative cash crop.

 

As a World Bank report on poverty in Thailand states, "79 percent of the poor remain in rural areas and mainly in agricultural households."

 

Rural Thailand Faces the Largest Poverty Challenges

[connda]

54 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Weren't you thinking of setting up as a drug dealer in another thread?

[connda]

7 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

I think the idea is that the rural poor living in agricultural households (who are the majority) will be able to switch to a more lucrative cash crop.

 

As a World Bank report on poverty in Thailand states, "79 percent of the poor remain in rural areas and mainly in agricultural households."

 

Rural Thailand Faces the Largest Poverty Challenges

Exactly.

[jvs]

Why is it that some people who are against the use of Cannabis call people

who do use potheads?

Would it be fair to call any one who drinks alcohol an alcoholic?

Some people have never even used Cannabis but they do have an opinion

about the use of it.

Hypocrites is the word for people like that.

 

 

[zyphodb]

1 hour ago, sidneybear said:

How does turning Thailand into a nation of potheads alleviate poverty? I think Anutin has been smoking too much of the stuff himself. 

An improvement on a nation of yabba heads, I'd say...

 

[zyphodb]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Weren't you thinking of setting up as a drug dealer in another thread?

Where oh where is the laughter icon???  555 anyway...

[stoner]

1 hour ago, sidneybear said:

This style of unprovoked rudeness epitomises the intolerance of the dope lobby fan base. 

i dare to say it is unprovoked in this instance. please take a look at the comment history of the poster i was speaking to and you may see a pattern form. 

 

my offer still stands. 

[ignore it]

I acknowledge and appreciate all y'all's opinions and such.

Personally it's nice to know that the RTP's got one less thing to use to extort money from me 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that people shouldn't just blame marijuana and bang on about it making the user high.

 

It was all in how it was used.

Initially it was stated by him it was going to be used for medicinal purposes only... now you can openly buy it on virtually every street corner.

[redwood1]

55 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

Where oh where is the laughter icon???  555 anyway...

I guess we can now wast a whole post with a ......LOL ..... How about 10 or 20 LOL posts in one thread..... LOL

[Gknrd]

Was back for a 6 month stay and everyone had a pot plant growing and visions of riches. Crazy.

[mania]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

quoted him as saying that weed was an antidote to poverty and pain and would put 30 billion baht into the economy.

Nah I think as an illegal crop had more chance of that

 

But that aside...I think everyone or most of my generation smoked weed growing up. We survived but....

 

For myself in hindsight I would say it did me no good except wasted precious time of my life when I could have

been so much more productive than sitting in a smoky room with others laughing & eating junk food

 

Of course yes compared to other recreational drugs it is not as bad & even better than alcohol but that is not a

benefit enough to justify the waste of time/young life

 

So now to Thailand.....Given the fact that so many are already inclined to doing nothing, weed freely available will only make that all the worse

Thai youth already have so few hero's

[ezzra]

18 hours ago, stoner said:

speak your mind freely. however if you spout off nonsense garbage and old ingrained myths don't be upset when you are called out and/or ridiculed for it. 

 

most of us are more than willing to have a sensible conversation about the subject. 

 

are you ? 

I did few days ago and i was branded a troll by some members, a coocoo, and so forth for not supporting the idea to legalize pot, my post was removed and i was banned from posting for using unkind language in return post, (which is fair by the rules of this forum) hence my earlier post of this subject being very touchy...

[stoner]

12 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I did few days ago and i was branded a troll by some members, a coocoo, and so forth for not supporting the idea to legalize pot, my post was removed and i was banned from posting for using unkind language in return post, (which is fair by the rules of this forum) hence my earlier post of this subject being very touchy...

share more thoughts. 

 

i stand on side of legalizing all drugs by the way as well not only weed. 

[phetphet]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

weed was an antidote to poverty

I wonder if he has any investments in this new industry?

 

Big business will soon take over the whole thing. Too much money to be made.

 

There are now more weed shops than 7-11's where I live.