Thailand made history on Tuesday as the first Southeast Asian country to move toward decriminalizing marijuana altogether.
The country’s Narcotics Control Board approved an updated list of illegal drugs that no longer included cannabis at the recommendation of the Public Health Ministry’s draft proposal submitted last month, the Associated Press reported.
Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party and the powerhouse behind the movement to decriminalize marijuana, said the move signifies the “government’s urgent policy in developing marijuana and hemp for medical and health care benefits,” along with economic and technological reasons.
SEE IT: LOUISIANA SENATE CANDIDATE SMOKES MARIJUANA IN CAMPAIGN AD
The new listing would allow people to grow cannabis in their homes for medical and research purposes as long as they notify their local governments, the Bangkok Post reported. The plants must contain less than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and would not be allowed to be sold commercially without a license.
Anutin and his party are set to introduce a draft of the Cannabis Act to Parliament on Wednesday, which would clarify the legal status of marijuana usage and when citizens would be allowed to grow the plant themselves for recreational use.
The nation’s Parliament voted in 2018 to allow medical marijuana use, while recreational usage has remained illegal.
In 2020, cannabis plants and extracts were dropped from the country’s Category 5 list, while certain parts such as seeds and buds were left on the list of controlled narcotics. This change removed criminal penalties against people who produce and use the plant for medical purposes, though it was unclear whether transgressions could result in civil penalties or fines.
Under the draft bill, residents would be subject to a 20,000-baht (roughly $600) fine for not notifying the government of their cannabis growth. A 300,000 baht (roughly $9,000) fine and three years in prison would be imposed on residents for selling the drug without proper licensing.
“Hopefully, we’ll receive cooperation from all MPs, so that it can be enacted quickly,” Anutin said of the new listing.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The new terms governing cannabis now must be signed into law by the health minister. They are set to take effect 120 days after publication in the government paper the Royal Gazette, as is custom in Thailand.
