Cannabis advocacy group “Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future” has voiced its opposition to the new coalition government’s proposal to re-criminalize cannabis. The group is now staging a protest to seek clarification from the Move Forward Party-led coalition regarding the impact of cannabis, especially compared to the party’s de-monopolization policy for alcohol.
The group’s response follows the announcement of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the formation of a new government, as signed by the Move Forward Party (MFP) and other coalition partners. The MoU contains a clause aiming to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic, albeit with supporting regulations for its beneficial use. In a Facebook post, the group asserts that cannabis offers an affordable alternative for medical treatment, particularly for financially disadvantaged individuals and those not seeing progress from traditional hospital therapies.
The group is requesting that the MFP compare the drawbacks of cannabis with those of alcohol and tobacco. It also declared its readiness to support the party’s re-criminalization of cannabis if it proves more harmful than the other two substances.
Furthermore, the group is challenging the party to measure the impact of cannabis against the party’s alcohol de-monopolization policy, arguing that the latter would lead to broader health issues and increased road accidents due to easier alcohol access.
The group also insists that MFP provide accurate information about cannabis, as supported by research papers, statistics and solid evidence. Despite supporting the formation of the MFP-led coalition, the group has clarified they may not agree with all of the party’s policies and actions, and commits to informing the public truthfully through protests. (NNT)
