Thai police bans use of cannabis & hemp at police stations & other government complexes

Police officers are not allowed to consume products containing these plants at work.

Alfie Kwa| July 09, 2022, 02:04 PM

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Cannabis (marijuana) and hemp was removed from Thailand's narcotics list on Jun. 9. and it will no longer be illegal to grow and possess the plants for commercial or personal medical use.

However, to prevent the abuse of plants, their use at police stations or other government complexes under the Royal Thai Police has been prohibited.

An order issued

On Jul. 5, Thailand's National Police Chief, Police General Suwat Jangyodsuk, issued an order prohibiting the use of two plants at police stations or in other government complexes, Bangkok digital publication The Nation reported.

Police officers, staff and those paying a visit to these locations are not allowed to use it.

The order stated that the use of cannabis can "create a nuisance" for people visiting and that there is a need to maintain a positive image of these locations.

Under the order, station chiefs and supervisors are to monitor the use of both marijuana and hemp to ensure that staff are compliant with the law.

Not allowed in schools

Last month, the Bangkok Post reported that Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sitthiphan announced that all schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration must be free of marijuana and hemp.

Chadchart urged schools to produce pamphlets and put up banners to educate their students about the plants' harmful effects.

Also, the schools' municipal inspectors are to keep an eye on the students to prevent the plants from being smuggled into schools.

On Monday (Jul. 4), Thailand's Ministry of Education also announced a ban on the plants in all Thai schools.

The country's Ministry of Defence and Interior has also issued orders to ban all personnel in military and government complexes from using marijuana or hemp.

Usage of plants in Thailand

Thailand is the first Asian country that has legalised the growing and possession of cannabis and its consumption in food and drinks.

But, smoking it recreationally is still against the law and if caught, offenders may receive a three-month sentence and a fine of 25,000 Thai baht (S$975), according to Aljazeera.

In addition, to limit the strength of cannabis products, it is illegal for products to contain more than 0.2 per cent of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the chemical that makes people high.

Those under the age of 20 and those who are pregnant or nursing are not allowed to consume the plants.

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Photo by Kelvin Han on Unsplash