Thailand on Thursday became the first Asian country to allow its citizens to grow cannabis plants at home, but cannabis use remains prohibited.
The move was a major change in the Thai government’s stance, as the country is known for strict drug controls. But the country’s goal is for the local cannabis trade to stimulate agriculture and tourism.
“This is an opportunity for people and the government to generate revenue from cannabis and hemp,” Thailand’s health minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a Facebook post last month.
With the innovation, organizations are free to sell marijuana or cannabis products and even use parts of the plant to treat diseases.
Thai restaurants may also serve foods and beverages containing cannabis, as long as they are less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant’s main psychoactive compound.
“We have always emphasized the use of cannabis extracts and raw materials for medicinal and health purposes. We have never considered advocating people to use marijuana for recreational purposes or in any way that may disturb others,” said the minister. An interview with the “CNN” broadcaster.
Under Thai law, anyone caught smoking marijuana in public in the Asian country can face up to three months in prison and a fine of $800.
Charnvirakul, a former businessman, said he hopes the Thai cannabis industry will bring in billions of dollars. In addition, the local government has distributed at least one million cannabis plants for free to families across the country.
This move by Thai authorities will also have an impact on the prison system, as some 4,000 prisoners convicted of cannabis-related offenses are expected to be released in the future.
source: Noticias
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