Thailand's National Assembly legalised the use of marijuana and kratom, a traditional herb, for research and medical use (AFP Photo/Don MacKinnon) |
Bangkok (AFP) - Thai farmers welcomed a new law allowing cultivation and use of marijuana for medical purposes Wednesday, in an Asian first that promises an economic bonanza but also fears that foreign companies could reap the rewards.
Thailand's
National Assembly passed a bill Tuesday legalising the use of marijuana and
kratom -- a traditional herb -- for research and medical use.
The move is
a significant step for a region that levies harsh sentences for drug
violations. It would also allow for the production, import and export of
marijuana.
The bill,
which still outlaws recreational use and has strict limits on the amount an
individual can carry, requires royal assent to come into law, said National
Assembly member Jet Sirathronont.
The
National Farmers Council of Thailand praised the law as providing a "new
economic crop" to help farmers diversify their production.
"I
expect Thailand can make 100 billion baht a year (US$3.07 billion) from growing
cannabis and selling the raw material and cannabis oil," chairman Prapat
Panyachartrak told AFP.
But some
fear foreign companies and pharmaceutical giants are in pole position to scoop
up valuable patents to produce the medical cannabis and extracts.
Those
holding the patents could stop Thai universities and government agencies from
conducting research, warned Witoon Liamchamroon, director of BioThai, a network
of agricultural activists, farmers and academics.
The
Commerce Ministry had promised to "revoke" the petitions of foreign
companies, he said, "but so far, we checked and there is no
revocation."
Long time
cannabis activist Buntoon Niyamabhra called on the government to cancel patent
applications from foreign multinationals.
"Otherwise
Thai people will not get any benefits... as the patent law is retroactive once
the new law takes effect," he told AFP.
Thailand
has a long history with cannabis.
Marijuana
was once classified as a traditional herb before it was re-categorised as a
narcotic in the 1970s -- which prohibited its production, consumption, sale and
possession.
It remains
readily available despite high penalties for those caught smoking it.
But
Buntoon, who founded the Network of Cannabis Users in Thailand in 2013, said
marijuana was once used in more than 100 formulas of Thai traditional medicine.
"I
have used cannabis for more than 50 years," he told AFP. "Cigarettes
and whisky are more harmful to your health."
Several
nations have embraced the use of medicinal cannabis, including Canada,
Australia, Israel, and more than half the states in the US.
US-based
Grand View Research has estimated the global market for medical marijuana could
reach $55.8 billion by 2025.
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