Thai ministry allows use of some parts of hemp, cannabis plants, but recreational use still banned
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalised the regulation draft that will remove cannabis and hemp from Thailand’s list of narcotics, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry, Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit said.
The draft will soon be presented to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for approval before being announced in the Royal Gazette.
As per the draft, the following parts and extracts of the two plants can be consumed:
- Bark, stem, stalks, fibre and root
- Leaves without flowers
- Extract that contains no more than 0.2 per cent of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol
- Hemp seeds and their oil extract
“Once the regulation is announced, these parts of cannabis and hemp used for medical and health care purposes will not go under category V narcotics and will therefore not be illegal,” he said. “Hemp fibre and oil extract will also be allowed to use in textile, food and cosmetic industries.
“However, the use of cannabis and hemp for recreational purposes is still prohibited,” he said.
“The ministry hopes that the removal of cannabis and hemp from narcotics list will help promote their cultivation as cash crops among local farmers as well as advance their applications in medical and healthcare industries,” he added.
