BANGKOK: Cannabis is scheduled to be removed from the Category 5 narcotics list tomorrow (June 9), allowing people to grow an unlimited number of plants at home.
Visitors take photos of ganja plants at a ganja and hemp exhibition. Photo: Bangkok Post
However, the removal of cannabis as a narcotic does not mean that people can use it freely, especially for recreation. Homemade cannabis is only allowed for health and medical purposes, and people must register the crop first with provincial administrative organizations or through the Pluk Kan mobile app, developed and managed by the Food and Drug Administration, reports the Bangkok Post.
Despite legal flexibility, extracts containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, will still be recognized as a Category 5 substance and will be regulated by laws related to control and suppression. of narcotics.
Anyone intending to grow marijuana plants for commercial purposes should seek permission from the responsible authorities.
Benefits for all
Sittichai Daengprasert, CEO of JSP Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Thailand), a distributor of medicines and nutritional supplements, sees both villagers and entrepreneurs benefiting from the growth of the cannabis industry, with the potential to grow into a variety of products.
Only oil extracted from marijuana with a THC content greater than 0.2% will be classified as narcotic, meaning other parts can be legally planted and marketed for medical purposes, health promotion and other business.
Sittichai said the measure should start the development of cannabis in a number of industries, from medicine to cosmetics and food, marking a “new era” for the Thai plant.
While employers will be able to set up new businesses, the public now has new medical treatment options that can help them save money, he said.
Cannabidiol oil (CBD) extracted from cannabis can be used to treat many ailments.
The CBD oil market has an estimated value of B $ 100 billion, according to JSP.
“People or companies who want to do business related to marijuana planting and oil extraction can register online or through the mobile app,” Sittichai said.
“This will allow the government to regulate the industry.”
JSPs and representatives of cannabis growers and factory operators recently met with Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss a proposal to reduce the legal procedures needed to run the cannabis business.
Making these rules more flexible should help community businesses that plant marijuana and supply it to factories, Sittichai said.
At the meeting, participants suggested that the government allow companies with Good Manufacturing Practices and International Organization for Standardization certifications to increase the CBD oil content in their medicines and nutritional supplements. up to the legal limit of 75 parts per million for export purposes.
Other countries have a high CBD oil content in their products.
“Higher CBD content will give Thailand a competitive edge because we can grow the raw material [marijuana] and we have a lot of them, “he said.
JSP is in talks with cannabis and hemp associations on the proposal to set average prices for plants and their extracted substances to avoid a price war, which will directly affect farmers.
“Everyone agrees with this proposal and is preparing to discuss more details,” Sittichai said.
“This will ensure fair market prices and prevent large wealthy companies from buying plants in large quantities.”
Five large companies listed on the SET have diversified into the cannabis sector. There is concern that their entry into the market may affect small and medium-sized enterprises, which could eventually lead to a monopoly on the market.
Correct movement
Sanan Angubolkul, president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said that while Thailand is an agricultural country, most farmers own relatively small plots of land.
The number of farmers is also declining as new generations migrate to cities.
In addition, farmers face a myriad of problems, such as climate change, volatile crop prices and a lack of knowledge about the management and development of agriculture, he said.
“Encouraging cannabis cultivation in Thailand is the right step, as many countries around the world are moving to promote it as an economic crop,” Sanan said.
“Strong global demand for cannabis will help increase Thai farmers’ incomes and reduce inequality in the agricultural sector.”
However, he warned that attempts to promote cannabis as a commercial crop will be challenging because of its reputation as a narcotic, possibly raising questions among the public.
Every facet of cannabis applications, including cultivation, extraction, drug processing, distribution, and supervisory laws and regulations, need to be clarified to provide a better public understanding, Sanan said.
“All sectors should discuss the creation of a monitoring mechanism for self-monitoring of a network of farmers and government control measures to ensure strict enforcement of the law,” he said.
Boonyong Tansakul, CEO of Zen Corporation Plc, the operator of Japanese Zen restaurants, said cannabis-related companies are expected to see huge growth following the removal of the drug from the list of category narcotics 5.
According to Boonyong, food and beverage operators are currently reluctant to diversify using cannabis as an ingredient due to uncertain supply.
“Demand for cannabis now far exceeds supply, leading to high prices. I think more business operators will use cannabis as an ingredient in their food and beverages once cannabis production and supply increases,” he said.
“Removing cannabis from the list of Category 5 narcotics not only helps boost the growth of cannabis-related businesses, but also the economy as a whole, as weeds can provide new careers and income for farmers. “.
It grows with the flow
Kattikamas Thanyajaroen, executive officer of Than Global Travel, a wholesale operator offering cannabis tours, said the withdrawal of cannabis as a narcotic would help stimulate international demand in Thailand.
However, he said the Ministry of Public Health needs to establish more details to limit the number of cannabis plants that people can grow at home for local commodity companies and operators who have already invested in the business. of cannabis and received permits will be directly affected by relaxation.
Ms Kattikamas said prices for fresh cannabis leaves had already dropped to 2,000-3,000 B per kilogram, below 15,000 B.
Cannabis tour operators are likely to have more competitors than new entrants with locally grown cannabis, but have no legal knowledge to guide tourists, he said.
The ministry has issued a guarantee seal to show that CBD products are below the 0.2% THC limit, as recommended by the World Health Organization, which means tourists can take it home. the products they buy without having to face legal penalties.
Ms Kattikamas said 80% of cannabis tourism customers are Thai, but operators expect more arrivals from investors, especially from China, the US, Japan and Malaysia, as well as medical tourists after Thailand relaxed. even more so the pandemic restrictions on June 1st.
The Omicron variant made it difficult to revive the tourism business in the first quarter of this year, as people who booked visits had to cancel at the last minute due to infections or to be in quarantine, he said.
Ms Kattikamas said Than Global Travel plans to introduce full cannabis packages later this month, thanks to the hype generated by government legalization.
“After decriminalization, it is important to attract tourist demand to the country, especially for recreational purposes,” he said.
“The government can throw cannabis sandboxes at major destinations like Phuket or Koh Phangan.”
Ms Kattikamas said tourists are encouraged to book cannabis excursions through group tours to make sure they have the right information and are supervised by tourism experts.
