A warning for cannabis and hemp smokers
Officials can order people to stop smoking cannabis and/or hemp as their smoke and odour are considered a nuisance under the Public Health Act, a senior bureaucrat said on Monday.
Public Health Ministry deputy permanent secretary Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn said officials can take action on their own without waiting for complaints.
He added that from Thursday (June 9), only cannabis or hemp extract with tetrahydrocannabinol more than 0.2 per cent is considered among narcotics.
He added that the ministry will send a letter to related agencies to issue laws that will prevent people from using cannabis and/or hemp improperly while waiting for the Cannabis-Hemp Act, which will come into effect soon.
"The ministry has submitted a letter to the Office of the Consumer Protection Board [OCPB] to issue laws preventing people from using cannabis and hemp for recreational activities," he said, adding that the OCPB is considering laws related to this issue.
He added that the Medical Cannabis Institute will create awareness among people to ensure that they will use cannabis and hemp properly.
Meanwhile, Food and Drug Administration secretary-general Dr Paisarn Dunkum said that Section 25 (4) of the Public Health Act specified clearly that smoke and odour from cannabis and hemp are considered nuisance, unlike smoke from tobacco.
He added that there will be laws specifying the proper value of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol in each cannabis and hemp products, such as foods and cosmetics.
