Over 850 doctors and staff members at Ramathibodi Hospital are calling for the immediate suspension of the decriminalisation of cannabis, pending the implementation of adequate controls to prevent its abuse by youths.
The move was announced by the president of the Forensic Physicians Association of Thailand, Smith Srisont, in a Facebook post yesterday.
Dr Smith said 851 doctors, lecturers as well as alumni of Ramathibodi Hospital under Mahidol University are calling for the policy's immediate suspension because decriminalisation without adequate controls to prevent cannabis use outside of medical purposes will have a negative impact on youth's physical and mental development.
Without a degree of control to limit its access, the policy will lead to widespread recreational use, which was not what the government had in mind by decriminalising cannabis use, it said.
"The current situation is proving to be a real threat to public health, both in the short and long run," the doctors said in the statement, urging the government to suspend the policy until measures are put in place to prevent cannabis abuse among youths and limit its impact on society.
In response to the call, Bhumjaithai Party MP Supachai Jaisamut, who chairs the panel overseeing cannabis- and hemp-related laws, said there are rules in place which are meant to prevent cannabis abuse, especially by individuals under 20 years of age.
"We haven't seen a substantial increase in cannabis use after it was legalised for medical purposes, which means our regulations are so far effective," he said.
Addressing the concerns of the doctors, Mr Supachai said the government is "doing its best to come up with more effective rules to seal off any remaining legal loopholes in our medical cannabis regulations".
