Hemp and its different derivatives can now be used in cosmetics, food and herbal products in Thailand after the authorities there relaxed the restrictions on these products. A royal gazette announcing this change indicated that the rule change would take effect starting on August 27.
The government in Thailand also removed marijuana and hemp whose THC content doesn’t exceed 0.2 percent from the list of prohibited narcotic products.
Tares Krassanairawiwong, the Thai FDA Secretary General, was quoted as saying that the new changes are intended to support the use of hemp as a cash crop by allowing its extracts to be used in food, cosmetics and medicine.
The royal gazette also had language indicating that the dried bark, stems, seeds, fibers and hempseed oil could be used to make traditional medicine and also be used in food, cosmetics and medicine.
The notice defined industrial hemp as cannabis sativa L. whose THC content is no more than 0.5 percent of the weight of its stems and flowers, or 0.3 percent of the dry weight of its seeds. This limit differs from what is provided here in the U.S. since the THC limit for hemp is capped at 0.3 percent.
The Thai government also plans to protect its emerging local hemp industry by only allowing local producers to take part in the hemp industry for the first five years of its existence.
The drugs or herbs produced from industrial hemp will be classified as such based on the existing laws governing herbal medicine and pharmaceutical drugs.
In the coming months, the government plans to draft and release additional regulations that will govern the use of hemp during the making of drugs, cosmetics and herbal products.
It should be remembered that Thailand starting distributing cannabis oil last month in all government hospitals after medical marijuana was legalized last year.
The country is also undertaking additional research into industrial hemp and several cultivation projects are ongoing in the northern part of the country. Of special interest is the desire to develop unique Thai hemp strains that are suited to the local conditions and are highly productive.
Thailand is making a name for itself as a kind of pioneer in the hemp and marijuana space around the region. For example, in neighboring China, the sale of hemp oil and hemp seeds is legal but CBD cannot be used in food and medicine. And in India, growing hemp was only legalized last year in one state (Uttarakhand).
Analysts believe that the goings on in Thailand are good news to hemp industry players, such as VPR Brands LP (OTCQB: VPRB) and Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF), in other parts of the world where people are already enjoying the numerous benefits brought by the hemp industry.
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