Lawmakers In Thailand Approve Medical Use Of Marijuana

Lawmakers In Thailand Approve Medical Use Of Marijuana

Thailand’s interim parliament has voted to allow the use of medical cannabis while recreational use of the drug remains illegal.

Lawmaker Somchai Sawangkarn said the passing of an amendment to allow
medical marijuana in the country “could be considered as a New Year
gift to Thais.”

“The amendment (on the Narcotics Bill) was passed the second and
third readings today. And will become effective once it is published on
the Royal Gazette,” he said. The National Legislative Assembly’s 166
members voted in favor of the change and there were no votes objecting
to the motion. There were 13 members who abstained from the vote.

This makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to allow the
use of medical marijuana. The region is notorious for its hardline
approach to drugs and strict penalties for drug-related crimes.

The British government approved medical marijuana earlier this year,
and it became available on November 1 from the National Health System to
patients with a prescription. Medications derived from cannabis became
legal in Germany last year. Medical marijuana is also legal in Australia
and Ireland.

In the Unites States, medical marijuana is legal in 30 states, though
the laws governing what’s permitted vary from state to state, according
to the National Conference of State Legislatures.