Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - After the government legalised the plant and its extract this year, sparking a wave of interest in the dr...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - After the government legalised the plant and its extract this year, sparking a wave of interest in the drug, Thai entrepreneurs are cashing in with cannabis-infused goods including toothpaste, tea, soaps, and snacks.
Pakpoom Charoenbunna, 32, said of his cannabis-infused beverage, "It offers me a deep and peaceful sleep." He purchases it from his regular milk-tea vendor.
In 2018, Thailand became the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalise marijuana for research and medical purposes.
Thailand decriminalised the entire plant last month. Cannabis use for recreational purposes has skyrocketed since it was removed from the list of illegal drugs.
Cannabidiol (CBD), a component of cannabis that does not give consumers a high, is permitted to be used in commercial goods that have received approval from the food and drug regulator.
However, the regulator only allows 0.2 percent of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be present in any cannabis product.
Cannabis has a long history of use in traditional Thai medicine to treat pain. New concepts are now being developed by innovators.
The proprietor of Channherb, Surawut Samphant, has developed a toothpaste.
He added, "Cannabis sativa seed oil, which contains CBD, is one of its constituents.
A happy consumer testified that the toothpaste helped him maintain healthy gums, and Surawat agreed.
Nikom Rianthong, who has been using the toothpaste for two months, stated, "I have receding gums and occasionally they get infected."
He claimed, "It solved my problems," and he said that he wouldn't use any other brands again.
Kreephet Hanpongpipat, the proprietor of the Kanomsiam dessert shop, had long sold desserts with pandan leaf flavouring, but a year ago he added cannabis leaf to attract more customers.
According to Kreephet's consumers, the cannabis-infused pastries help them sleep soundly.
The biggest proponent of legalising marijuana for medical use, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, predicts the market will be worth more than $3 billion in five years.
He told Reuters, "I want to see individuals making money off of creating these items in a positive way.
"My marijuana policy exclusively prioritises using cannabis for medical and healthcare objectives. Just that. We are unable to promote cannabis use in other ways."
As a result of the effort to promote medical marijuana, producers of marijuana high in THC have capitalised, and cannabis shops have popped up all across the nation.
Anutin claimed that while a cannabis bill is being debated in parliament, there are public health legislation that can forbid recreational use.
In order for cannabis to be used responsibly, according to Kreephet, there needs to be more public education about its advantages and risks.
