"Grow Cannabis"… Thai Government Distributes 1 Million Cannabis Plants for Free

Thailand Legalizes Home Cultivation of Medical Cannabis Starting from the 9th Following Medical Cannabis Legalization

On the 9th (local time), the first day when marijuana was excluded from illegal drugs under the Narcotics Act, an employee at Highland Cafe, a marijuana-themed restaurant in Bangkok, is holding a piece of marijuana. Thailand plans to foster the marijuana industry to increase national interests.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] Since the Thai government allowed home cultivation of cannabis on the 9th, there has been an influx of applicants as 1 million cannabis plants are being distributed for free.

According to local media such as The Nation on the 11th, the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that due to the surge of applicants wanting to cultivate cannabis at home, an additional application website has been opened.

According to the FDA, more than 22.8 million people visited the website launched on the 9th when home cannabis cultivation was legalized, and over 200,000 people applied to grow cannabis at home. On the second day, about 300,000 electronic cannabis cultivation certificates were also issued.

As the government actively encourages cannabis cultivation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand is distributing two cannabis seedlings free of charge to up to 500,000 households.

Mananya Thaiset, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, explained, "Those interested in cannabis cultivation can apply at their local cooperative office until the 16th," adding, "For those who miss this application, the Ministry of Public Health will distribute high-quality cannabis seed varieties."

Meanwhile, Thailand legalized medical cannabis cultivation and use in 2018, the first among Asian countries. In December last year, cannabis was removed from the list of illegal drugs under the Narcotics Act, allowing companies to cultivate cannabis and develop and produce related products.

In South Korea, medical cannabis use was legalized after the amendment to the Narcotics Control Act passed the National Assembly in 2018, but recreational cannabis remains illegal. In particular, even if cannabis is legal in Thailand, South Korean citizens who smoke cannabis leaves or consume cannabis products such as food in Thailand may be punished under domestic law upon returning to Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.