Use of medicines mixed with marijuana allowed in local health promotion hospitals

The ministry has approved 17 medical recipes that contain marijuana for local health promotion hospitals.

The director-general of the alternative medicine department, Dr Marut Jirasrattasiri, said that more than 60,000 people are now interested in receiving medical marijuana treatment in state public health facilities nationwide.

To increase access for the public for treatment with traditional Thai marijuana drugs that are safe, of high quality and meet legal standards, the Department of Traditional Thai Medicine and Alternative Medicine has approved for use by local health promotion hospitals with regular Thai traditional doctors 16 drug formulas that contain marijuana.

Dr Marut said that as a means to promote the planting and wisdom of Thai traditional medicine, the products have been brewed into the Sanan Tripob medicine or cannabis pills in the WHO-GMP plant system for public health facilities nationwide. The ministry has allowed 152 hospitals in cooperation with community enterprises in the area to expand the cultivation of cannabis plants for medical use, which has set a target of about 15,200 people. Currently, four hospitals have joined the pilot programme -- Khlong Muang Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Chiang Phin Hospital in Udon Thani, Ban Na Yao Nuea Hospital in Sakon Nakhon, and Ban Na Pak Khow hospital in Phatthalung.