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Thailand: Pro-cannabis groups to rally at Government House

Onnucha Hutasingh

Bangkok Post

Sunday 07 Jul 2024

Pro-cannabis groups have vowed to stage a protest outside Government House on Monday against the government's attempt to relist the plant as a narcotic.

The move follows the decision by the Public Health Ministry's committee controlling illegal drugs to support the reclassification of cannabis and hemp as narcotic drugs.

Based on the committee's resolution, cannabis and hemp are to be regarded as narcotic plants except for their branches, leaves, roots and seeds. Cannabis buds and any materials containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) will also be classified as narcotics. The panel voted by the majority to back the relisting which is expected to take effect on Jan 1 of next year if the Office of the Narcotics Control Board agrees with the move.

Prasitchai Nunual, secretary-general of the Writing Thai Cannabis' Future pro-cannabis group, said cannabis advocates will hold a rally tomorrow outside Government House to oppose the move.

He said the committee's decision is not based on the public's interest and could be an administrative offence. He threatened to file criminal and civil lawsuits against Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin and the committee and mount a public campaign against them.

Panthep Puapongpan, the member of the committee who voted against the listing, wrote on Facebook that the narcotics code will not be effective in addressing the problems related to cannabis if the plant is relisted. "The solution is to pass special legislation. It is the only way to prescribe how cannabis can and cannot be used and systematically protect people who don't use it," he said.

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday warned the Public Health Ministry to prepare for some difficult questions after the relisting of cannabis.

According to Mr Anutin, the committee that voted to relist the plant is the same as the one that agreed to decriminalise it, so the panel owes the public an explanation.

"We've relaxed the regulations to allow people to make use of cannabis. What will happen to people who grow cannabis? Will they face legal action? What about some 8,000 cannabis-related offenders who were freed in June 2022?" he said.


https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2824301/pro-cannabis-groups-to-rally-at-government-house. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Bangkok Post PCL. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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