The government plans to allow the use of most parts of marijuana and hemp plants in cosmetics and food, the permanent secretary for health said yesterday.
Kiattiphum Wongrajit said the Narcotics Control Committee decided on Tuesday to exclude the leaves, branches, stems, trunks, bark, fibre and roots of marijuana and hemp from the government's narcotics list.
This would not include shoots, including flowers, which a have high drug content.
However, hemp and cannabis are still listed as Category 5 narcotic drugs that can be used under restricted regulations for certain purposes, especially for medical treatment.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to draft a public health regulation to this effect. The public health minister would then approve it and the new regulation would come into force when it is published in the Royal Gazette, he said.
Dr Kiattiphum said use of hemp seeds and seed extract, as well as cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), at a maximum 0.2% content, will also be included in the regulation.
The permitted parts and content must come only from authorised producers -- government organisations with medical and research tasks, modern and traditional medical practitioners, universities, community-based enterprises and community cooperatives.
Dr Kiattiphum added the ministry has a clear policy to promote the use of marijuana for medical purposes and support the planting of hemp crops for economic reasons.