The government has published new rules to limit access to cannabis and hemp to people aged 20 and over, after the June 9 decriminalization of cannabis sparked widespread complaints.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul clarified last Thursday that people under the age of 20 will not be allowed to possess and consume Cannabis unless they have permission to doctor.
The measures follow local reports that four men, including students aged 16 and 17, were admitted to Bangkok hospitals this week for treatment for cannabis abuse. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said it was also considering banning cannabis from universities.
The government will also publish rules to limit or prohibit the consumption of cannabis in public and control the presence of cannabis in food.
According to the regulations proposed by the Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine of Thailand, the consumption of cannabis will be prohibited in public places, such as educational institutions, department stores and state agencies, and the consumption of cannabis during pregnancy and after birth will also be prohibited.
“We haven’t mentioned the use of the flowers, especially its use in food,” the public health minister said. “So far we have the law on the THC content”.
The law considers that a cannabis extract with more than 0.2% THC is reserved for the medical sector, and therefore illegal without a prescription, but not the plant itself. Thai law also considers the fumes given off by cannabis use to be a nuisance.
The Ministry of Health has issued guidelines on the use of cannabis in the kitchen. People should not consume more than two meals containing cannabis per day. Cannabis use in children may affect brain development, according to guidelines released by the Thai ministry.
