Individuals and organisations who possess marijuana for medical purposes must notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before May 19, or face arrest.
Those who use marijuana for medical purposes will not be punished for drug possession if they notify authorities to avoid prosecution, the FDA's secretary-general, Tares Krassanairawiwong, said on Monday.
He said doctors and other medical professionals wishing to obtain a licence to legally prescribe medical marijuana must register and receive mandatory training from the Ministry of Public Health or institutions authorised by the ministry. The National Legislative Assembly last year passed a revised version of the narcotic law legalising marijuana use for medical purposes.
The Public Health Ministry on Feb 27 began a process, via an amnesty, of registering individuals and organisations to ensure they possessed marijuana legally.
So far 1,053 people claim to possess "medical marijuana" while 8,850 others have called the FDA hotline to ask for information.
Dr Tares warned medical marijuana users to have the correct documentation -- a Thai national ID card, a declaration form, and a medical certificate to confirm the need for medical marijuana -- as well as the marijuana in their possession for inspection by the FDA or provincial health offices.
