Thai Government to Give Out 1 Million Cannabis Plants to Home Growers
The country’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the government’s plans to start giving out cannabis seedlings to people for free after June 9 – when the home cultivation by individuals becomes fully legal.
For now, the plants must be medical grade and intended to be used for medicinal purposes only. However, Thailand has recently been a very forward-thinking country, and the new easing of cannabis laws can ultimately pave the way for the legalization of the recreational use of the drug. In 2018, the country became the first in Southeast Asia to legalize medical marijuana.
“Grow As Many Plants As You Like”
Under the new regulations, individual home growers will be able to cultivate as many plants as they wish. They will also be allowed to sell the produce in small amounts within the country. However, large-scale businesses will have to apply for special licenses. At the same time, Anutin assured would-be cannabis entrepreneurs that the new policy will foster free market practices and there will be no concessions.
The path to the legalization of home growing in Thailand was a gradual one. Last year, the nation’s narcotics board allowed the sale of stems and leaves, and in January, it also allowed flowers and seeds. With the whole of the plant now legal, nothing stands in the way of individuals growing cannabis and selling it for profit.
A Huge Boost For Post-Covid Economic Recovery
According to the Minister, cannabis cultivation can generate up to 10 bln baht (€275 mln) annually. The plant and its derivatives are already widely used by cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies, and the country is a popular destination for health tourists, most notably from China. Some of these visitors come specifically for medical cannabis.
However, only products that contain less than 0.2% THC are allowed so far. THC is the principal constituent of marijuana and the one that gives it its characteristic psychoactive effect. Thailand still prohibits recreational use of the substance and has rather strict anti-cannabis laws in place. The possession of up to 10 kg of weed for recreational purposes is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
