Thread: Authorities to Distribute Free Cannabis Plants for Home Cultivation

BANGKOK (NNT) - One million free cannabis plants will be distributed in June when home cultivation and use of the plant are due to be officially legalized under Thai law.


Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that beginning June 9, Thai citizens will no longer be required to obtain a permit to cultivate cannabis in their homes. The cannabis cultivated must be of medical grade and used exclusively for medicinal purposes.


Anutin announced the decision in a Facebook post on Sunday (8 May), in which he outlined the benefits of commercial cultivation.


The sale of cannabis products containing less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in marijuana that produces the "high" feeling, is currently legal in Thailand.


According to Anutin, marijuana and hemp products could generate up to 10 billion baht in annual revenue if both public and private enterprises are permitted to operate freely under the new regulations.


The minister of public health added that the new rules allow small operators to launch marijuana-related businesses without registering with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while large-scale operations will continue to require authorization.


Local cannabis advocates have expressed optimism that loosening marijuana laws will stimulate economic recovery after years of stagnation. Thailand became the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize medical marijuana in 2018.


Authorities to Distribute Free Cannabis Plants for Home Cultivation

Great news for those that wish to grow cannabis as a decorative addition to their garden, or to spice up their Tom Yam.

Starting from June 9, downloading the “Plook Ganja” mobile application will be the only requirement to legally grow cannabis and hemp plants at home in Thailand. Today, the Ministry of Public Health announced that all parts of marijuana and hemp plants will be delisted as a narcotic from June 9, except for extracts containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which are still considered illegal category 5 narcotics.

The Thai government expects cannabis growers to use parts of the plant in cooking, e.g. boiling the leaves to use in Tom Yam soup, or for “medicinal purposes.” However, rolling up and smoking high-grade THC marijuana flowers is still very much illegal in Thailand.

So if you have registered with the “Plook Ganja” (Grow Cannabis) application, you can grow cannabis, but you can’t get high.

If your plant is a female – she may grow “buds” – the THC-rich flowers of a cannabis plant. As the Thai law currently stands, you won’t get in trouble if your plant grows buds, but you will break the law if you smoke the flowers or extract them into a product containing more than 0.2% THC.

Anyone who wishes to import cannabis and hemp seeds, leaves or branches from overseas does not need a permit, but does need to seek permission to do so according to the Plants Act 1975 and Plant Quarantine Act 1964, according to the Director-General of Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration Dr. Withit Saritsadeechaikul.

As of May 20, ‘Plook Ganja’ is not yet available on the App Store.

If you have a question about growing marijuana at home in Thailand, call 025907767 or 025907793 or contact your provincial public health office.

Download the ‘Plook Ganja’ app to legally grow cannabis at home in Thailand | Thaiger

if your plant is a female – she may grow “buds” – the THC-rich flowers of a cannabis plant. As the Thai law currently stands, you won’t get in trouble if your plant grows buds, but you will break the law if you smoke the flowers or extract them into a product containing more than 0.2% THC.

And of course no one would dream of doing that. I cant wait to watch the police patrolling backyards with their THC tester.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Someone did ask me a question the other night: Will they be releasing all those people in prison on possession charges since it is now legal to have products with <0.2%THC, and they probably didn't measure the evidence used to previously convict people.

Haven't seen anything about it in the press.

I doubt they are applying the law retroactively.

Clearly yet another area of the universe about which harriet is utterly clueless.

Changing a law does not make those successfully prosecuted under the previous law innocent, harriet.

Originally Posted by cyrille

Clearly yet another area of the universe about which harriet is utterly clueless.

Changing a law does not make those successfully prosecuted under the previous law innocent, harriet.

Hey sybs, what's it like making a complete c u n t of yourself (again)?

More than 1,000 inmates jailed for kratom use and possession will be released after a new law in which the plant is removed from the list of narcotics takes effect next week.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said kratom has been removed from the list under the amended Narcotics Act which comes into effect on Tuesday.
As a result, a total of 1,038 people imprisoned for kratom use and possession will be released and their offences expunged, he said. For those being prosecuted or standing trial, authorities will see to it that they are released from custody, Mr Anucha said.

Kratom inmates to be let out of jail

Originally Posted by DrWilly

I doubt they are applying the law retroactively.

It isn't so much about applying the law retrospectively: As I posted above, Kratom was quite black and white: When it was legalised, it was a bit silly keeping people in jail for possession or use of it.

With THC, it's slightly different. Unless they tested the strength of it, anyone convicted could argue that they were using a 0.199999999% drug and the police would have to prove otherwise.

I'm sure there are some inmates wealthy enough to test it in court.

Apparently the lab test to determine concentration runs at about Bt15k a go, so I can't imagine the police wanting to dip into the cake tins for that. Would probably not oppose the release of those incarcerated on mere possession or use charges.

Be interesting to see what happens.