Some growers, but, again tougher legal stand
Pro-cannabis teams are putting pressure on the government, and they are threatening to protest at the ministry of public health starting on Thursday until it can demonstrate that it merits to become reclassified as a narcotic substance.
In the meantime, parties of producers licensed to develop cannabis plants since before the decriminalisation of cannabis in 2022, on Sunday , backed the president’s pledge to categorize cannabis as a narcotic substance again.
According to them, the legalization of cannabis agriculture has caused oversupply of the once totally controlled product.
When pro-cannabis groups gather at the government, they may ask for one thing only: that the government demonstrate scientifically how much cannabis benefits and health advantages over alcohol and cigarettes, according to Prasitchai Nunual, the Cannabis Future Network’s secretary-general.
He argued that any decision should be supported by scientific evidence, regardless of whether the government intends to completely or partially assign marijuana as a narcotic. He said the department may have 15 days to demonstrate its case, and if it can persuade pro-cannabis groups, they will back away from the ministry’s policy of re-listing marijuana as a narcotic drug.
There is no evidence that cannabis has a significant negative effect on emotional health, he said, “unlike alcohol and tobacco, merely look on the internet.”
On the other hand, he said,” There are countless studies that demonstrate the health benefits of hemp, which are sufficient to assume that the plants have therapeutic qualities.”
Since the original government’s decriminalization of cannabis, Mr. Prasitchai said his system has been fighting for a legislation that can more efficiently regulate the use of the drug. In terms of reports, the number of young people found using the drug has increased by ten times.
” We’ve been fighting for this regulation for two years since the Prayut Chan- o- gan management, but the necessary law will never be passed for several social reasons”, he said.
Ironically, he said, this government is moving to implement more constitutional restrictions on cannabis while pushing to rest the state’s control over alcohol sales and consumption.
Nevertheless, Srettha Thavisin, the prime minister, made hints that the government may still permit the use of marijuana solely for health purposes despite its reclassification as a narcotic drug. According to Mr. Srettha, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin will provide more information after.
The state will first consider all viewpoints before deciding a final decision, he said, and it will leave the final choice to the Narcotics Control Board, despite its intentions to re-list marijuana as a narcotic.
Montri Yiamsung- noen, president of Ra Kan community organization system in tambon Nong Bua Sala of Muang district in Nakhon Ratchasima, said he supports the government’s fresh stance.
Since the last government imposed the rules before the network’s 435 farmers were able to grow cannabis, more than 90 % of the land has since been abandoned due to excess.
A source from a Sakhon Nakhon area enterprise group that grows cannabis plants claimed that their organization and I share the same viewpoint.
Before the 2022 cannabis decriminalisation, dried cannabis leaves used to be sold at 10, 500 ringgit per kilogramme and orders were placed with the team a year in progress, while then the products sell for only 5 to 10 baht/kg, said the source. Worse still, he claimed, there are still a number of tonnes of previously harvested cannabis plants in stock waiting for buyers.
Before any decision to change the legal status of marijuana is approved, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced a formal study will be conducted and its findings will be reviewed by two to three panels.
The Bhumjaithai Party, which pushed for legalizing marijuana under the previous administration, is led by Mr. Anutin.