Thailand: Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul On Cannabis As A Narcotic Plant
Recently, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul criticized the proposal to re-list some parts of the cannabis plant as a narcotic saying there is no evidence of marijuana misuse under existing laws.
Citing the lack of control to prevent recreational cannabis use and abuse by children and minors, '1,363 doctors' signed a petition on Change.org asking the government to scrap the policy decriminalizing marijuana use and possession. Charnvirakul made the comment in response to this request.
The minister pointed out that current rules on cannabis consumption are established taking into account medicinal users, reported Bangkok Post.
"The law doesn't support other uses beyond [medical use]. There are rules which prevent cannabis smoking in public, and sales are restricted to individuals over the age of 20," Charnvirakul said. "Re-listing cannabis [as a narcotic] is ridiculous, and we won't do it because we have come so far. We haven't seen any negative impact that is beyond our control."
In May, after Charnvirakul gave away a million marijuana plants as a sign of goodwill, the opposition criticized him, arguing that he caused social problems and violated local and international laws by decriminalizing marijuana without proper control.
Meanwhile in the US: Democrats In Missouri Supporting Marijuana Legalization
Although the Missouri Democratic Party supports marijuana legalization, a State Party Committee recommends that democrats would take a neutral position on the cannabis reform initiative that will appear on the November ballot.
The Missouri Democratic Party State Committee said that its recommendation is for the state party to adopt a stance stipulating that it “supports the legalization of marijuana, but does not have an official position” on the ballot measure through Amendment 3, which is backed by Legal Missouri 2022.
“Democrats support the legalization of recreational marijuana use. However, as written Amendment 3 may negatively impact minorities, people of color, and low-income earning Missourians,” the committee’s explanation noted.
In addition, the committee recently published its recommendations and explanations after having met to discuss the constitutional amendments proposals that are part of the electoral ballot, reported Marijuana Moment.
“Democrats have concerns about the expungement provisions laid out in the amendment, as well as making it difficult for those who do not currently have a license to enter the industry,” the committee concluded.
What Do Missouri Voters Say About Marijuana Legalization?
A recent poll, from SurveyUSA and sponsored by eight local TV stations found that a strong majority of voters in the state are ready to approve the ballot initiative in November. Moreover, the poll showed that sixty-two percent of Missouri likely voters are “certain to vote yes” on Amendment 3.
That includes majorities across all political affiliations: Democrats (77 percent), independents (57 percent), and Republicans (54 percent). There’s also majority support among each age demographic surveyed, except for those 65+ where there’s still a plurality (45 percent) in favor of the initiative.
“On Amendment 3, the ballot measure which would legalize the personal use of marijuana in Missouri, voters today pass the measure by a margin of nearly 3:1,” SurveyUSA said in an analysis. “The measure passes by double digits among all demographic groups, including among those aged 65+, where it passes by 12 points.”
“SurveyUSA notes that regardless of the topic and regardless of the state, voters often have a built-in preference for maintaining the status quo, and that ballot measure polling tends to tighten notably as Election Day approaches and ‘vote no’ campaigns gather steam—but today, 50 days until votes are counted, Amendment 3’s support appears quite robust,” continued the survey which involved interviews with 670 likely voters in Missouri from September 14-18.
John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022, told Marijuana Moment that “Missourians are excited to go to the polls in November and enthusiastically support Amendment 3, which will bring millions in revenue to Missouri annually while allowing law enforcement to focus on fighting violent and serious crime.”
In August, Missouri's Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft issued a certificate of sufficiency to the Legal Missouri 2022 campaign, formally placing the adult-use legalization initiative on the November ballot.
Photo: Courtesy of Rick Proctor On Unsplash
