Medical Council of Thailand issues statement to limit cannabis use to medical purposes, urging goverment to reconsider recreational purposes

National –

The Medical Council of Thailand and 16 other medical associations and royal colleges on Wednesday, September 7th, issued a proposal to limit the use of cannabis to medical purposes only and oppose its use for recreational purposes.

The petition was released as the group claimed that the current cannabis policies caused more confusion and problems which could possibly result in negative consequences in Thai society in the long term.

The suggestions regarding the cannabis policy in Thailand signed by the Medical Associations are as follows:

1. The use of cannabis must be for medical purposes solely and must be based on empirical evidence.

2. Cannabis must be selected the high quality and must be used under the Drug Act to protect patients and their safety when being treated with the plants. The plant and its extracts used for medical purposes must not be contaminated as well.

3. Doctors, pharmacists, and other medical personnel must be trained on how to use cannabis and its extracts before treating patients.

4. All patients must be screened and evaluated before and after treatment with cannabis.

5. Government agencies, such as the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), should procure and manage the use of cannabis for medical purposes to prevent cannabis abuse.

The Medical Council reiterated thier opposition to the use of marijuana for recreational purposes and called for practical marijuana policies from the government to prevent the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.

The statement reads: “Since cannabis and hemp are strongly prohibited in many countries, the plants currently are unable to be exported to foreign countries. Therefore, promoting domestic marijuana plantations will cause a market surplus which will result in an increase in domestic use due to the lower price. There will be many disadvantages to health and the economy to follow.”

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Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October, 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.