A former New Zealand Prime Minister has praised Thailand for decriminalizing cannabis and urged the government to take further steps to eliminate unnecessary criminalization.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark commended Thailand for being one of the few countries to successfully decriminalize cannabis, which she believes is an important step towards ending unnecessary criminalization. The former premier, who is also a member of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty, made the remarks at the Harm Reduction International Conference 2023 (HR23).
Clark said it was unnecessary for so many people to be imprisoned in prisons for drug-related offenses and unjust to treat drug users as criminals. She added that the government would save significantly on the police and judicial systems if authorities step back from drug criminalization and take alternative measures to handle drug-related offenses.
The former prime minister stressed the need for governments to reassess their drug policies while urging countries to prioritize people’s health and well-being, as well as reconsider harsh prohibition rules that put users in danger.
Cannabis was officially removed from Thailand’s Category 5 narcotics list in June 2022. Possession, cultivation, distribution, consumption, and sale of all cannabis plant materials have since been legalized. However, cannabis extracts and products containing more than 0.2% THC by weight remain classified as narcotics. (NNT)
