World agency warns govt about weed use
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has urged the government to proceed with extreme caution in its cannabis policy, warning that Thailand must abide by international drug control treaties and guard against a damaging policy misstep.
Viroj Sumyai, president of the the Vienna-based INCB, said Thailand is bound by three major international narcotics control agreements which authorities should now study thoroughly after the decision to legalise medical cannabis.
He said his agency is monitoring cannabis policy in Southeast Asian countries and is deeply concerned about the hype around “liberalisation” of the plant’s use in Thailand.
Earlier, Mr Viroj warned that Thailand would lose import privileges for some medicines if the country decided to decriminalise marijuana for recreational use.
Concerns were apparently sparked by a proposal to allow each household to grow six marijuana plants for private use.
The proposal was floated during the election campaign by the Bhumjaithai Party, whose leader Anutin Charnvirakul is now public health minister.
According to Mr Viroj, Thailand is obliged to comply with the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which classifies cannabis as a narcotic but permits its use under supervised medical conditions.
The country must also comply with Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.
“Before the government proceeds with any drug policy, it is strongly recommended that it examines these agreements,” he said, adding that the country’s healthcare system stands to lose if the country flouts the UN convention on narcotic drugs.
He said that any government that authorises the use of cannabis for medical purposes has to meet a number of conditions under the 1961 drug control agreement.
These include providing estimates of anticipated consumption and details of the area and geographical location of any cultivation.
“Estimates of the [number of ] plants for production of cannabis-based Thai traditional medicines will have to be reported too,” he said.
Niyom Termsrisuk, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said his agency and the Public Health Ministry have yet to decide on the composition of a committee to oversee production and consumption of medical cannabis.
He stressed that under the Narcotic Drug Act cannabis remains illegal to possess, grow, distribute, or sell without official permission.