Thailand’s Pharmaceutical Association urges government to enforce cannabis law for “medical use” only

Bangkok –

  The Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand today, June 28th, released a statement, expressing its stance against the use of cannabis for other purposes other than medical.

The statement, signed by Teera Chakajnarodom, President of the Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand, also urged the government to review the liberalization of cannabis if health effects or negative impacts were found among the public within 30 days.

In order to balance the use of medicinal cannabis plants and prevent problems that may occur from consuming cannabis without a concrete law that may cause a huge impact on the country in terms of economy, society, and public health both in the short and long term, the Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage has the following concerns and suggestions:

  1. Cannabis should not be used by children and youth under 20 years of age, pregnant and lactating women, those with a history of marijuana allergies, those who are in sensitive groups, and patients who use certain drugs that may have drug interaction issues as cannabis and marijuana may affect the effectiveness of some drugs and could cause severe reactions that can be life-threatening.
  2. Cannabis should not be recommended for recreational use or other purposes other than medical purposes. Proposals to have “recreational zones” should be discontinued.
  3. The government should encourage relevant agencies to provide continuous and serious monitoring of the effects of cannabis use in plant users after the decriminalization. They should also provide the public with accurate information about the dangers and side effects that may occur when using the plant.
  4. There should be measures to control the production and sale of food or products containing cannabis as an ingredient. Eateries should notify their consumers if any food or beverages contain cannabis as an ingredient.
  5. People and all workers must be aware and self-responsible by not driving or working with any machinery during or after marijuana use.
  6. All relevant agencies, including the government, public health ministry, and educational institutions, should provide knowledge of cannabis and build social awareness by establishing social responsibility campaigns as well as promoting the ban of “inflorescences” for abusing, consuming, or mixing in any types of food and beverages.
  7. The government and related agencies must reassure and build confidence in the public that they could enforce the strict law to protect individuals’ safety in line with the purpose of the cannabis legalization.
  8. It is universally recognized that cannabis “for medical use” is better for public health than recreational, according to the Association. Therefore, the plant is classified under strict control in most developed countries for medical reasons only, with a few exceptions in some places.
  9. The Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand under the royal patronage would like to take a stance against the use of marijuana for any other purpose other than medical purposes. The Association is willing to provide advice on drug information and the proper use of medical cannabis to healthcare workers and the public.
  10. The government should consider using the term “Medical Marijuana/Cannabis” instead of “Marijuana/Cannabis” to create a mutual understanding of the true purposes of the legalization to the public or plant users as well as to reduce the risk of cannabis misuse or dangerous effects, especially in vulnerable groups and young patients.

Photo Courtesy: NationTV

The original version of this article appeared on our sister website, The Pattaya News, owned by our parent company TPN media.

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Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.