Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that he will vote against the re-criminalisation of cannabis and hemp at the forthcoming meeting of the Narcotics Control Board, after the two plants were removed from the Category 5 drug list two years ago, during the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai party, said he has informed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that he could not vote in support of criminalisation of cannabis and hemp because some board members, who voted in favour of decriminalisation, are still in the board, on which the majority of members now want to re-criminalise the plants by putting them back on Category 5 drug list.
Asked whether he had discussed the issue with Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin of the Pheu Thai party, he said there is no need, because the two parties have divergent positions regarding cannabis and hemp.
He insisted that there is no conflict between his Bhumjaithai party and the Pheu Thai party, but acknowledged their differing opinions.
He also said that, if there is new information to indicate that cannabis does not have any medicinal benefits and is harmful to humans, then the Bhumjaithai party is willing to restore cannabis and hemp into the Category 5 list.
