Thailand launches its campaign to give away one million free cannabis plants, but discourages getting high

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Thailand launches its campaign to give away one million free cannabis plants, but discourages getting high

Authorities are discouraging recreational use of cannabis and have warned smoking in public could lead to prison and fines. (Reuters)


Thailand has launched its campaign to give away one million free cannabis plants — but is discouraging people from getting high and is warning recipients could still fall foul of the law.


Key points:

• Distribution of cannabis plants has begun after Thailand's government decriminalised the substance
• Authorities warn to not use cannabis to just "sit at home smiling"
• On Thursday, Thailand became the first country in Asia to take marijuana off its list of banned substances and to allow people to grow the plant at home

On Friday, a day after decriminalising marijuana growth for commercial purposes, Thailand's government began distributing plants, but with a stern warning.

"Don't use it and sit smiling at home and not get any work done," said Thailand's Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, at the launch in north-eastern Buriram province, where the first 1,000 plants were being distributed.

"Those things are not our policies. We have erased the stigma. It's being washed away like removing a tattoo. Don't let it come back."

He added that cannabis should be used to improve health.

Thailand's Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, speaks alongside government mascot Dr Ganja at the opening of Bangkok's first official medical cannabis clinic in 2020. (Reuters: Jorge Silva)


On Thursday, cannabis was de-listed from the country's narcotics list, allowing people to grow the plant if they registered on a government smartphone application called PlookGanja (which translates as "grow ganja").

Authorities are, however, discouraging its recreational use, while smoking in public could lead to fines or prison time.

Mr Charnvirakul said more than 300,000 people had registered with the app, which had millions of downloads from people wanting to learn more about cannabis.

The psychoactive compound in marijuana — tetrahydrocannabinol or THC — is limited to 0.2 per cent in cannabis extracts and products that can be sold in Thailand, which include oils and candy.

Thailand also legalised medicinal marijuana in 2018 for medical use only, but is now banking on developing it as a cash crop and building a lucrative local industry.

According to Thailand's corrections department, since the law changed this week, 3,000 people have been freed from prison after being held on cannabis-related crimes.

Reuters