BANGKOK, Aug 17 (TNA) – Cannabis has not posed a problem as feared by many parties while its market value has reached 28 billion baht, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Mr Anutin said in the “Meet the Press: Cannabis” event at Miracle Hotel that since cannabis was decriminalized for medical use, it has not caused any negative social impact as many parties were concerned.
Hospitals reported 60 people suffered from the acute side effects of cannabis over the past two months (from June 6 to Aug 16). The figure meant that one person suffered from the acute effects per day and it showed no significant impacts compared with the Thai population of 70 million, Mr Anutin said.
At the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment, 80% of patients had abused speed pills while only 4% had done with cannabis, he said.
He also said that the cannabis bill would be completely drafted this week and be then proposed to the House of Representatives right away.
Mr Anutin said that people already registered via an app for cannabis cultivation in areas covering as much as 7,500 rai (about 3,000 acres) altogether and the value of the local cannabis market was estimated at 28 billion baht and would later soar to 50 billion baht. (TNA)
