Thailand one step closer to decriminalizing marijuana

By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand has moved one step closer toward being the first Asian nation to decriminalize marijuana. The country’s health minister on Tuesday signed a measure that will officially drop cannabis from a list of controlled drugs. However, extracted content will remain illegal if it contains more than 0.2% of the psychoactive ingredient that produces a “high” — known as THC. The Thai health minister said he hoped to set out a “new history for cannabis” in the country and remove the stigma around it. The ministry’s stated policy is to promote the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes and build an industry around derived products. The delisting will take effect 120 days after its publication in the government gazette.