The chairman of the House committee reviewing the cannabis and hemp bill has stated that there are no plans to delay the bill and that it should be completed by August.
Supachai Jaisamut, chairman of the committee and a member of the Bhumjaithai Party, expressed support for the bill, saying that decriminalizing cannabis would increase growers’ income. He went on to say that reports of the herb’s side effects should not outweigh its benefits.
The committee’s initial conclusion, according to spokesperson Parnthep Pourpongpan, was that those who cultivate cannabis plants on less than five rai of land would be considered small-scale growers and would not be required to pay registration fees.
Parnthep also stated that the committee plans to solicit public feedback in order to improve the bill and ensure that both growers and those who stand to benefit from cannabis legalization are adequately informed.
Cannabis decriminalization was one of Bhumjaithai’s key campaign promises for the 2019 election.
The bill is being reviewed by a committee comprised of government representatives, the Narcotics Control Board, lawyers, academics, and members of the public.
Senator Somchai Sawangkarn previously warned that if the bill was not passed during the current parliamentary session, it would have to wait another year, with no restrictions on its recreational use to protect children.
