THE Public Health Ministry has proposed an amendment to the Narcotics Act which seeks to maximise the benefits of medical cannabis.
According to reports in the Nation Thailand, the move follows an announcement by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha for projects to enhance local research and development of medical cannabis.
Food and Drug Administration deputy secretary-general Paisarn Dunkum said under the current law, Thai medical establishments and patients did not have full access to cannabis-based treatments.
The Nation said Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wanted to unlock the full potential of medical cannabis under a new draft of the act that had been screened by every sector and approved by the narcotics commission.
Apart from supporting marijuana plantations for medical treatment, the draft also focuses on developing local knowledge, and boosting the medical cannabis industry.
Under the new act, drug manufacturers would also be able to export more cannabis-derived medicines, increasing Thailand's competitiveness in the market and boosting development to benefit the public.
This year alone, Thai cannabis clinics in 291 public health centres had received 60,000 requests for treatment, said Marut Jirasrattasiri, director-general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Complementary Medicine.
He said the amended law would help boost knowledge to produce cannabis extracts for factories to produce medicines under the World Health Organisation good manufacturing practices for 152 hospitals in Thailand.
Four hospitals are currently piloting medical cannabis treatments on 15,200 patients while the Public Health Ministry has established six cannabis plantations to support future development.