Thai Health Minister Proposes Marijuana Bill Focusing Only on Medical Use

[webfact]

On January 6th, 2024, Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, the Thai Minister of Public Health, forwarded a Marijuana Bill for Cabinet consideration, emphasizing its focus on medicinal use only.

The implementation of measures was to prevent misuse, namely recreational purposes, through legal regulations. This bill aimed to establish clear guidelines and controls regarding the use of marijuana for medical and health-related purposes only while addressing potential concerns around its misuse.

 

Dr. Cholnan highlighted the importance of supporting legislation for matters related to medicine and health, intending to ensure that new regulations complement existing laws. The goal was to harmonize the new laws with the current legal framework to avoid conflicts in the application and enforcement of regulations.

 

The proposed law maintained a parallel structure with existing legislation on narcotics. Specifically, it defined marijuana extracts containing more than 0.2% THC by weight as a controlled substance, aligning with established legal definitions within drug regulations.

Dr. Cholnan stressed the significance of medical expertise in assessing the appropriate use of marijuana.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2024-01-08

 

- 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.

 

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[webfact]

Marijuana industry faces disaster as Health Minister unveils law to outlaw recreational pot use in Thailand
by Carla Boonkong & Pranee O' Connor

 

Former leader of the Pheu Thai Party and Minister of Public Health Cholnan Srikaew has unveiled his new law on marijuana or cannabis. It is not good news for cannabis shops. It clearly aims to outlaw the recreational use of the drug and empowers the Royal Thai Police to prosecute offenders.

Thai Cannabis Crackdown: Health Minister’s new law targets recreational use and challenges Bhumjaithai’s legacy. Minister Cholnan unveils strict cannabis law, eliminating recreational use. The current liberal order faces risk as seizures in Ireland complicate the discussion and re-introduce Thailand’s international obligations.

The writing in a proposed new law is very clear about the future of recreational cannabis use in Thailand. Certainly, after Minister of Public Health Mr Cholnan Srikaew, on Sunday, unveiled his new draft legislation, the future of marijuana or pot outlets which have become ubiquitous in Thailand, are now verily in doubt. The law provides the mechanism to outlaw the sale of parts of the cannabis plant which have a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) value in excess of 0.2%. Moreover, the legal provision even calls for review and research on the efficacy of the ongoing use of cannabis for medical purposes. At the same time, the latter will, when the law is passed, become the only basis by which it can be legally used in Thailand.

 

The fears of the cannabis industry have been realised. Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew has officially signed a bill aimed at reinforcing stringent regulations on the drug.

 

Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2024-01-08

 

- 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.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[redwood1]

And No we are not closing down to pot shops.....They will be free to sell all the 0.2% weed they want......

[fondue zoo]

And it begins.

[flyingtlger]

 

Edited January 7 by flyingtlger

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

On January 6th, 2024, Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, the Thai Minister of Public Health, forwarded a Marijuana Bill for Cabinet consideration, emphasizing its focus on medicinal use only.

That's what Anutin said... didn't quite work-out that way.

[Pouatchee]

25 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

That's what Anutin said... didn't quite work-out that way.

 

Puke thai generally get their way. Unfortunately.

[2baht]

It will be interesting watching them shove the genie back in the bottle! 

[bamnutsak]

No surprise here. The current regime has been very consistent in voicing its intent to re-criminalize cannabis.

 

I think some are hoping for a soft landing on a very loosely controlled "medical-only" solution - "Doc, it hurts when I do this." - but that will probably not fly - MoPH and DTAM will 'control' Cannabis use and distribution. If cannabis is now so dangerous how can the government and its Ministry of Public Health allow anyone to smoke cannabis? 

 

 

It is clear that Cholnan et al are struggling with the re-criminalization, and there is no real 'middle path' through, so not sure where this ends up. They'll have to issue clear guidelines to the Police on what constitutes Cannabis 'crimes' since there is no intent (right now) to return Cannabis to the Narcotics list(s), and it is not illegal to produce, distribute or use < .02% THC today.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The current liberal order faces risk as seizures in Ireland complicate the discussion and re-introduce Thailand’s international obligations.

 

This Irish Kerfuffle provides some cover - Damn you Enzo and Harley - but is not significant given the MASSIVE quantities of hard drugs which Thailand complicity tranships throughout the world.

 

 

https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/press-office/press-releases/2024/pr-010524-cannabis-dublin-athlone-shannon-airport.aspx

[ourmanflint]

Very good. As usual it got out of hand very quickly. Very few Thai citizens actually think it’s a good idea

[2baht]

2 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

As usual it got out of hand very quickly.

How did it get out of hand?

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The current liberal order faces risk as seizures in Ireland complicate the discussion and re-introduce Thailand’s international obligations.

Why penalize weed users here, it up to customs, to stop the export, and the import,  can't they do their job? train the dogs!

[PJ71]

4 hours ago, 2baht said:

It will be interesting watching them shove the genie back in the bottle! 

Correct, this is not going away.

 

Long may it continue.

[jingjai9]

I think it will do more harm to reduce the tax making wine more affordable than to keep the current status of cannabis. There is no doubt  much more research on the negative effects of alcohol than there is research on the negative effects of cannabis.

 

The problem most likely wrests with old politicians possessing old values while wielding power in the 2020s. 

Edited January 8 by jingjai9

[webfact]

Thai health minister faces backlash over new cannabis control bill
by Mitch Connor

 

PHOTO: via Harvard health

Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew’s recent approval of a fresh draft of the cannabis and hemp control bill sparked a wave of criticism from pro-legalisation activists in Thailand, who called the move a betrayal of his commitment to public consultation.

 

Prasitchai Nunual, who serves as the secretary-general for Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network, shared his disappointment on Facebook, accusing the minister of breaking his pledge to open the draft to public discourse before submitting it to the Cabinet.

 

Prasitchai stressed the importance of public involvement in policy drafting to guarantee fact-based, scientifically sound outcomes, rather than policies influenced by political agendas.

 

“We haven’t yet seen the contents of the bill, but we suspect based on the minister’s media interview that several articles may lack factual grounding, he shared on social media.”

 

Prasitchai also highlighted the government’s inconsistent approach to regulating cannabis, methamphetamine pills, and alcoholic beverages. Despite being legally recognised as a herb, the new draft stipulates that cannabis usage will necessitate a doctor’s prescription. In contrast, possession of up to five methamphetamine pills, a classified narcotic, is not deemed a criminal offence.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-09

 

- 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.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[Tropicalevo]

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

who called the move a betrayal of his commitment to public consultation.

There is no betrayal.

It was decriminalised (not legalised) for medicinal purposes only

[JackGats]

Yeah, so cannabis will remain legal, as long as its content is below placebo. Great.

[ukrules]

Lol, I've been getting facebook ads for the various types of cannabis for some time now.

 

[jackinthebox]

hopefully they will close down ALL the Pot-Shops. I find them EXTREMLY boring. Especially in "Party-Areas" they are always empty and stinky (even if new renovated and clean). For example SoiCowboy: it IS a Beer/Girlie/LiveMusic/DJ-Area. Cannabis-Shops are a foreign matter in those environments.

[spermwhale]

Good luck putting the genie back in the bottle after poorly drafting legislation that inadvertently made it a giant free for all. 

[Ben Zioner]

On 1/8/2024 at 3:55 AM, webfact said:

The fears of the cannabis industry have been realised. Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew has officially signed a bill aimed at reinforcing stringent regulations on the drug.

Was about time. 

[2baht]

Cannabis was around long before this legalization debacle started and will be around long after, whatever they decide to do! 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Prasitchai stressed the importance of public involvement in policy drafting to guarantee fact-based, scientifically sound outcomes, rather than policies influenced by political agendas.

Anutin said it was for medicinal use only... until it was hijacked by the public and the law was not in place to stop them from opening up shops, selling it online and using it personally.

Cholnan is trying to get it back to some sensibility and control.

 

[Irish star]

And we have all the alcoholics cheering this move 

[Jack Cook]

Meh. He has only signed a proposal. It still has to go through parliament. It’s Thailand lots of chasing their own tails in circles to go yet.

[JimboB4]

Guess what, nothing is changing :) 

[wensiensheng]

Can’t go to a couple of my favorite restaurants now because they each have a pot shop nearby and the stuff stinks. It’s worse than sitting near a tobacco smoke if you are a non smoker.

[stoner]

3 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Can’t go to a couple of my favorite restaurants now because they each have a pot shop nearby and the stuff stinks. It’s worse than sitting near a tobacco smoke if you are a non smoker.

 

i can't go to that restaurant either. the stench of wine and alcohol makes me want to vomit. 

[Ben Zioner]

6 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

i can't go to that restaurant either. the stench of wine and alcohol makes me want to vomit. 

Good, to make everyone happy, the pot shops are going to close, and you can have street food.

[stoner]

2 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Good, to make everyone happy, the pot shops are going to close, and you can have street food.

 

hypocrite much ?