Thai govt starts giving away 1 million free marijuana plants
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry on Friday began giving away free cannabis plants to people who have registered online with the Agriculture Department.
The ministry will give away one million marijuana plants to people who want to grow them at home after cannabis was removed from narcotics list on June 9, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Mananya Thaiset on Friday.
“Each household will be allowed two free plants, which means at least half a million households in Thailand will be growing marijuana,” Mananya said.
Also removed from narcotics list are hemp and kratom (Mitragyna speciosa). All three plants have been long used as Thai traditional herbs.
Mananya added that all growers must first register via the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s “Plookganja” application or at http://plookganja.fda.moph.go.th/HOME/FRM_REGISTER to receive a digital certificate before they can start growing. Registrants must provide their ID card number, mobile number (for one-time password), and give their reason for growing cannabis and the number of plants they will cultivate.
Plants offered for free by the government are a Thai strain called Issara 01, developed by the Department of Medical Services and Department of Agriculture. Mananya said more Thai strains would be made available soon, including the Hang Karok (Squirrel Tail), Hang Sua (Tiger Tail), Tanaosri, and Phuphan.
“Legalisation will also spur development of new and improved strains,” she added.
The ministry aims to give away all 1 million plants before year-end, or 100,000 to 200,000 plants per month. People can pick up the plants at their local provincial agricultural office 30 days after their registration is approved.
