ThaiEnquirer.com-Sept 16
Two of the key coalition partners in the incumbent government have locked horns on the issue of the liberalization of marijuana with Bhumjai Thai Party saying that it will not be considerate of its other coalition partner – Democrat party, in the upcoming general election.Public Health Minister and leader of the Bhumjai Thai Party Anutin Charnvirakul said that his party will no longer provide any political etiquette for the Democrat Party during the next general election as the rift between the 2 coalition parties continues over the cannabis and hemp bill. Elections are expected no later than early next year, when the term of the current government ends on March 23, 2023. The rift between the 2 coalition parties came after the Democrat Party voted down Bhumjai Thai Party’s cannabis and hemp bill on Thursday. Parliament voted 198 to 136 to withdraw the bill for improvements. The bill is supposed to provide regulations for the use and trade of cannabis and hemp. Both plants were already lifted from the narcotic list since February 2022 where possession is no longer illegal. However, marijuana is still not allowed to be smoked in public but the plant and its flowers, which contains THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical that makes you high, were already being sold in some stores. The Democrat said they want the bill to be withdrawn because it was inadequate when comes to providing protection for the youth and sanctioning recreational use of the plants.
Anutin said the Democrat is only voting down the bill because the next general election is coming up and the Democrat wanted to use their objection to marijuana as one of their selling points. Read more at: https://www.thaienquirer.com/44284/bhumjai-thai-and-democrat-parties-lock-horns-on-ganja-liberalization-ahead-of-expected-polls/
