Public Health Minister and Leader of Bhumjaithai Party Anutin Charnvirakul officiated at the opening of a cannabis exhibition today (Friday), at the Buriram International Circuit in the north-eastern province, to celebrate the success of the party’s policy to liberalise medical cannabis.

About 30,000 people, including senior ministers from the Bhumjaithai party, senior public health officials, provincial officials, health volunteers and local residents, packed the stadium.

Cannabis and hemp have been removed from the Category 5 narcotics list in Thailand, effective yesterday.

Anutin said that households can grow as many as cannabis as they wish, adding that cannabis can provide a new source of income for households, community-based enterprises and industries.

He urged the public to concentrate, however, on the medical and health aspects of cannabis and not to abuse the substance to the extent that they lose control, noting that such abuse is not the intent of the party’s cannabis policy.

Currently, eight medical cannabis formulations have been included in the  National List of Essential Medicines, he added.

Meanwhile, Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Kiattibhoom Vongrachit stressed the importance of educating the people about cannabis and hemp, so they can take advantage of their medicinal benefits.

He said the public can seek information about the benefits from the Medical Cannabis Institute or medical cannabis clinics operating in several provinces.

Medical conditions for which patients can get medical cannabis from approved clinics include addiction withdrawal symptoms, allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, bedsores, bronchitis, cancer, concussion, migraine, obesity, menstrual cramps, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatism, bone fractures, opiate addiction, reaction stress, lupus, inflammation, hemorrhoids, epilepsy and sleeping problems, among others.