Thailand’s justice minister continues push to delist marijuana

Thailand Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya has reiterated his stance to reclassify marijuana from a narcotic drug to a medicinal herb.

The official says the government has failed to police marijuana, as well as stimulant kratom, so both plants should be treated as herbs, according to the Bangkok Post.

The justice minister has said that prohibition isn’t working and a number of raids have only pushed people to Malaysia to buy illegal marijuana and kratom plants. The latter has opiate- and stimulant-like qualities.

Under the law, neither plant can be produced, consumed, sold, imported, exported or possessed unless the health minister gives special dispensation.

Thailand is considered a top international tourist destination and has a thriving medical tourism sector, so medical marijuana would only serve to boost the existing industry.