Recently, Mr. Sawasdi Jitphrom, a 61-year-old traditional medicine practitioner from Phatthalung, received the Outstanding Organization Award in Traditional Thai Medicine. The award, presented by the College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, recognizes his dedication to the field of traditional Thai medicine. Mr. Sawasdi inherited his knowledge of traditional medicine from his ancestors and furthered his studies at Rajabhat Songkhla University. He is renowned for his expertise in bone setting and has developed various herbal formulas, including treatments using cannabis, which he has been using for over four decades.
Mr. Sawasdi’s journey with cannabis began in 1980 when he started using it to treat patients with various ailments, including Parkinson’s disease and insomnia. His family had been cultivating cannabis for a long time, leading to a legal issue in 1986 when they were fined 400,000 baht. They had to sell several cows to pay the fine. However, with the recent legalization of cannabis cultivation in Thailand, Mr. Sawasdi has been actively promoting its medicinal benefits. He uses various parts of the cannabis plant, including the roots, leaves, and flower buds, in his treatments. His dedication to traditional medicine and his innovative use of cannabis have earned him national recognition.
