Public Health Minister Anutin Charnivakul said the move marked the beginning of “a new history for cannabis” in the country. Two years after becoming the first nation to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes, Thailand has taken another step toward becoming the first Southeast Asian nation to decriminalize the drug. Yesterday, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed a ministerial announcement officially removing cannabis and hemp from Category 5 of the country’s list of narcotics. At a signing ceremony, Anutin, who has spearheaded Thailand’s push for decriminalization since his Bhumjaithai Party made legalization of cannabis a key campaign promise at the 2019 election, expressed hopes that the move marked the beginning of a “new history for cannabis” in Thailand. “Cannabis actually has plenty of medical benefits, not different from other herbs, and we are trying our best to make the Thai people enjoy both medical and economic benefits from it,” the minister said.

Mmp News Author, Medical Marijuana Program Connection, 02/09/2022 05:03:00

Open article: https://mmpconnect.com/thailand-drops-cannabis-from-its-list-of-controlled-narcotics-the-diplomat/