The Ministry of Public Health has delivered cannabis sprouts to a community enterprise in Buriram for cultivation and sale for medical use, as part of a campaign to kick start medical cannabis cultivation by villagers.
The Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul delivered the cannabis sprouts to Non Malai Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital in Buriram province, as part of the Non Malai Model pilot campaign, where members of the local community enterprise can cultivate up to 6 of these cannabis plants per household.
The sprouts delivered on this occasion are of the Hang Karok cannabis variant grown at Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Prachin Buri.
From these plants, cultivated by villagers, Khu Mueang Hospital will be purchasing the flowers to produce palliative care medications. For other non-narcotic parts, such as the leaves, roots and stems, the Ministry of Public Health will be launching a campaign, with the Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education, to promote their processing into herbal products and their application in health services, allowing villagers to earn income.
The Minister of Public Health said this campaign is a cooperation between the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to provide quality cannabis sprouts for farmers, while preparing the water sources, soil and cultivation knowledge for farmers.
He said this campaign has taken its cue from a successful project in California, in the United States, and will be expanded to other areas of Thailand. This project is expected to help farmers earn some 420,000 baht in income each year. (NNT)
