THE NATIONAL Farmers Council (NFC) is preparing to help farmers and patients register for medical marijuana, which has just been legalised.
The deadline for registration is May 17.
“Our provincial councils are conducting surveys and gathering relevant documents,” NFC president Prapat Panyachatiraksa said yesterday.
He was speaking as part of an awareness campaign held by the NFC in the northeastern province of Sakhon Nakhon.
“We want people to understand the medical-marijuana development, related government measures and the legal framework,” he said.
According to him, NFC has been pushing for the legalisation of medical marijuana since 2016, as it believes that farmers and patients will be able to produce cannabis-based medicines locally.
Since the legislation is already in place, the NFC is conducting a road show to educate the public about the issue.
“We are against any form of monopoly,” Prapat said. “And we disagree with the free trade of medical marijuana”.
Fighting big money
He said the country’s current structure favours big investors, who can purchase agricultural produce cheaply and enjoy huge margins after processing those crops.
“So, we hope control measures will be well in place,” he added.
Prapat said seminars and workshops should also be held to identify good cannabis strains and support good manufacturing standards of medical marijuana.
Several studies suggest cannabis extracts are useful to treat patients suffering from several diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s.
While Thailand is allowing medical marijuana, cannabis remains illegal.
Possession and use of cannabis are crimes punishable with a jail term. So, possessors, users and growers of cannabis must register with relevant authorities if they are consuming the herb for medical reasons.
