Kratom will soon be removed from the narcotics list and cultivated as a new cash crop, after the House yesterday passed an amendment to the 1979 Narcotics Act.

The House voted 319 to five to pass the amendment and 326 to five to endorse a 90-day transition. As such it is now due to take effect 90 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette.

Prior to the House votes, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin told MPs the amendment was aimed at legalising consumption of kratom.

Mixing its juices with other narcotic substances, a popular pastime among some youths, will still be illegal, however.

Legalising kratom will also change public perception of the plant and people who consume it as a herbal remedy, he said.

The House committee vetting the amendment altered the transition period for implementing it from 180 days to 90, said Mr Somsak, who served as the committee chairman.

Making kratom legal will not only benefit those consuming it as a herb, but will also help reduce the workload of state officials handling criminal cases involving the plant, he said.

More importantly, legalising kratom would also pave the way for the government to promote the plant as a new cash crop.

Kratom is a herb with biodiversity and has good potential to boost the economy and agricultural sector, he said. However, he warned people wanting to use kratom that they will still have to wait until the amendment takes effect or risk facing legal action.