PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2023 at 04:00
Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network is seeking 10,000 names to petition parliament to continue its reading of the Cannabis-Hemp Act, which would allow individuals to grow weed at home and ban the import of cannabis products for five years.
Prasitchai Nunual, the network leader, said yesterday the act was initially composed of 95 sections, but parliament’s reading only reached Section 17 due to a change of government.
Section 17 states that individuals are allowed to grow cannabis plants at home. Moreover, the Cannabis-Hemp Act also bans the import of cannabis for five years, opening up opportunities for domestic production and consumption.
The Cannabis Future Network has brainstormed and worked jointly with people across Thailand to study the benefits of cannabis, citing the historical use of the plant in traditional medicine.
Mr Prasitchai said the network on Monday held a talk in Chiang Mai to discuss the practicality of the Cannabis-Hemp Act. He explained that cannabis is not listed as a narcotic and can be planted at home for medical reasons. During the talk, attendants discussed the eligibility of a cannabis committee, regulations for home-grown cannabis and manufactured-scale cannabis, the licence to grow cannabis, the right to renew and the conditions for it being revoked.
The panel also focused on the sale of cannabis, advertisement regulations, the protection of children, penalties, public nuisance from weed-smoking and schemes for cannabis research and development in Thailand.
“We would like to voice our opinions to draft a well-rounded bill. We hope that the new government will listen to us and prioritise the benefit of the people,” said Mr Prasitchai.
The network will travel across Thailand to collect people’s opinions about the Cannabis-Hemp Act as well as to seek 10,000 names on the petition to revise the cannabis-related law, including a public talk in Nakhon Si Thammarat today.