Last updated on August 22nd, 2024 at 11:49 am
โข Why It Matters: Proposed cannabis regulations may disproportionately benefit large corporations while sidelining traditional and smaller medical practitioners.
โข Driving The News: Activists and health experts have raised concerns about the new cannabis regulations potentially favoring big business at the expense of public health.
โข What To Watch: The ongoing debate around the transparency and fairness of Thailandโs cannabis policies and the impact on smaller medical practitioners.
BANGKOK, THAILANDโConcerns are mounting among Thai health experts and activists regarding the governmentโs proposed regulations to reclassify cannabis as a controlled substance. At the heart of the issue is the belief that these new laws could heavily favor large corporations while marginalizing smaller medical practitioners and traditional healers.
DR. THEERAWAT HEMACHUDA, an advisor from the College of Oriental Medicine, and PANTHEP PUAPONGPAN, Dean of the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, joined forces with former Senator ROSANA TOSITTRAKUL to submit a formal request to Health Minister SOMSAK THEPSUTHIN to reconsider the decision to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic. They argue that the move is being driven by negative stereotypes about cannabis use and is unfairly restrictive, particularly for those in the traditional medicine field.
DR. THEERAWAT pointed out that research from as early as 2016 has debunked claims that cannabis use negatively impacts intelligence. He stressed that the governmentโs stance lacks scientific backing and could lead to the monopolization of the cannabis market by big pharmaceutical companies, effectively locking out smaller players who have long been involved in herbal medicine.
PANTHEP further noted that the proposed regulations would require cannabis cultivation to be overseen by licensed pharmacists, a condition that many traditional and smaller practitioners cannot afford to meet. This could effectively place the entire industry in the hands of large hospitals and corporations, excluding those who have been using cannabis legally and responsibly under previous laws.
The activists are pushing for a revision of the legislation to ensure it is inclusive and does not create a monopoly that benefits only a few at the expense of public health and smaller enterprises. They have called on the government to take a stand against any behind-the-scenes influence that might be steering these policies in favor of big business.
Contributing Sources: Daily News
