BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) – The new public health minister
of Thailand reiterates his election campaign promise to push ahead legalisation
of medical marijuana. 
Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai party which
is the first major party to advocate marijuana for medical use, held a seminar
on medical cannabis on Friday, three days after he was formally appointed
public health minister.
He told the seminar of public health officials, medical
cannabis advocacy groups, traditional medicine practitioners and supporters
that he would push ahead to enforce the policy.
“If he fails, his party will be extinct,” he said.
Anutin, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said this policy
was aimed to benefit Thai people, allow access to traditional medicine and
create new business opportunities for Thai people.
He said this marijuana initiative had been included in the
government policy statement which would be delivered to Parliament soon.
Participants at the seminar hailed the party’s policy while
calling on Anutin to use his executive power to create a legal shortcut
allowing freer medical marijuana practices among alternative medicine
institutes.(TNA)
