“The law will promote the pharmaceutical industry and increase competitiveness, which will be important for Thailand in becoming a leader in medical cannabis,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also told reporters. Thailand has dropped cannabis extracts from its narcotics list and opened medical marijuana clinics. Cannabis still remains a category five drug under Thai law, however, and illegal possession is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to 1.5 million baht ($48,000). While countries from Colombia to Canada have legalized marijuana for medical or even recreational use, the drug remains illegal and taboo across much of Southeast Asia, which has some of the world’s harshest punishments for drug law violations. Marijuana traffickers can be subject to the death penalty in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 04, 2020 11:15 UTC