Suwanchai suggests that releasing cannabis smoke should be written into the Public Health Act as a “an act of public nuisance” so that annoyed neighbours can file complaints if they are annoyed by clouds of smelly cannabis smoke. Suwanchai said cannabis smoke is annoying and can be harmful to other people’s health, which is why releasing cannabis smoke into the air is illegal. Suwanchai fears that with all the fuss surrounding the quasi-legalisation of cannabis in Thailand, people might wrongly assume that they can use cannabis recreationally. To prevent misuse of cannabis, Director-General of the Department of Public Health Suwanchai Watthanayingcharoenchai suggests that there should be clear rules set out to control cannabis use. People will also be permitted to make extracts from their homegrown cannabis plants, as long as the THC content is lower than 0.2%. The aim of growing cannabis at home is not to get high, but to use the plant’s leaves or stalks in cooking or tea, for medicinal purposes only.
