Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has clarified that the new narcotics law does not legalize the unrestricted planting of marijuana in an apparent response to Bhumjai Thai party’s manifesto pledge to legalize marijuana cultivation.

FDA secretary-general Dr. Tharet Kratnairaveewong said on Friday that the new law, now in force, only allows for limited cultivation of marijuana with the cooperation a state agency withprior permission from the Narcotics Control Committee.

The FDA is expected to issue three ministerial announcementsnext week exempting doctors, researchers, community enterprises, patients and others who have registered with the FDA or with health offices, from legal action for possession and cultivation of the plant.

Dr. Tharet said that patients will be able use marijuana leavesand flowers as part of their doctor recommended treatment, notjust marijuana extracts or oil.

Traditional medicine practitioners who want to use marijuana or its extracts to treat their patients must first pass a Medical Science Department training course.