The new amendment, if passed, would allow patients with a medical certificate, medical practitioners, traditional healers or folk healers to grow cannabis for medical treatment, she said.

The proposed amendment also allows manufacturers of medical products to produce, import and export or possess the Category 5 narcotic cannabis, she said.

The existing law allowed only state agencies or those who sought permission but must work with state agencies to produce, import or export cannabis, while medical practitioners and folk healers are not allowed to grow cannabis for medical treatment, she said.

The draft amendment also allows marijuana seized in drug crackdowns to be used for producing medical cannabis if need be, she said.

The Public Health Ministry held a public hearing to get views from people regarding the draft amendment on June 5. [Read more @ Bangkok Post]