According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo on June 10, Thailand has become the first country in Asia to legalize CBD (cannabis).
Currently, Thailand has about 4,000 prisoners serving sentences for marijuana-related crimes, the report said. The men have been released from jail since Tuesday as the Asian country has decided to reverse its anti-CBD policy and decriminalize the plant. It was the first country in Asia to do so. Growing and selling CBD and its products will no longer be a crime in a move aimed at boosting key sectors such as agriculture and tourism.
Thailand hopes to capture a bigger share of the growing market for CBD for food and medical use. From now on, anyone will be able to grow or possess CBD for home use only by notifying the authorities in advance.
Thailand's Food and Drug Administration has opened an online platform to facilitate registration, the report said. To grow CBD plants for commercial purposes, you must apply for a special permit. The only requirement to sell CBD is that it must contain less than 0.2% THC.
Removing CBD from Thailand's list of dangerous narcotics does not mean people can use it freely, the report said. Recreational CBD use will still be held responsible in Thailand, though the new law is unclear on this point. People can grow CBD at home, but not in public places.
Thai businesses and farmers will be able to grow unlimited amounts of CBD on farms and gardens, as long as it is used in the medical or food industries. This will encourage many cafes and restaurants to sell CBD-laced food and drinks, which practitioners hope will help attract foreign tourists.