Malaysia plans to learn from Thailand’s cannabis policy of legalizing use of the drug for medical purposes, a health ministry official said on Wednesday. This is a big change because in Malaysia cannabis possession can lead to the death penalty now.
Thailand legalized medical marijuana in 2018, becoming in the first Asian nation to decriminalize marijuana for medical use. In 2022 cannabis was legalized for personal use and cultivation. Thailand Criminal law has effectively removed cannabis possession as a crime, except in some very limited circumstances.
“We are developing our own framework for the usage of cannabis for medical purposes, and want to learn from Thailand,” the Malaysian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The Malaysian government was interested in learning from Thailand’s framework for medical use, he added.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin clarified that the import and use of medical marijuana under a doctor’s prescription is permissible if it is registered and licensed with the Drug Control Authority.
In April, Khairy said the government welcomed clinical studies for the medical use of cannabidinol (“CBD”.)
Last month, state news agency Bernama claimed that the health ministry intends to start registering some cannabidinol products next year after safety studies.
There was no immediate comment from Malaysia’s law minister.
Credit photo by Josh Sommers
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