The Thai government has announced that the country will give out 1000 free cannabis plants to households in light of a new rule that allows residents to grow the crop at home.

The change of laws has been happening since 2018, when Thailand announced that they would be legalising cannabis for medical use. In February this year, Thailand also removed cannabis from it’s national narcotics list, making it the first Asian country to remove the plant.

The new rule comes into effect on June 9th and allows residents to grow cannabis plants at their homes without notifying the government. However, the plants will have to be of medicinal grade and be used only for medicinal use. At present, there is no limit surrounding how many plants a household is allowed to grow.

“This will enable people and the government to generate more than 10 billion baht per year in revenue from marijuana and hemp,” health minister Autin wrote in a Facebook post while addressing the distribution of the complementary plants.

The health minister also mentioned that companies that are registered to sell cannabis products for consumption (like cosmetics and skincare) would have to abide by rules that the products have less than 0.2 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the part of the plant responsible for getting people high.

The move vaguely reflects recent developments in Tasmania. As of July last year, doctors practising in the state can prescribe the drug for medical reasons, as long as they have sought permission through the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

As reported by ABC News, all medicinal cannabis prescribed through the Controlled Access Scheme is given out at a rate subsidised by the State Government. Under the changes, it is understood that patients who have been prescribed the drug by specialists will still be able to access it at a subsidised rate.

Love Travel?

Get the latest Travel news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more

For more on this topic, follow the Health and Wellness Observer.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine