Medical staff began receiving training on the proper administration and usage of cannabis for patients yesterday, under a programme launched by the Ministry of Public Health.
This is seen as an important step on the road to fully legalising the use of marijuana as a form of medical treatment in the kingdom following the recent passage of legislation that paves the way for this.
The ministry's Department of Medical Services and Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine are applying its use to both modern and traditional medicine.
This comes hot on the heels of a ministerial regulation that allows medical staff who have passed the training organised by state agencies to prescribe cannabis to patients.
Dr Somsak Akasin, chief of the medical services department, said around 200 doctors, dentists and pharmacists from both private- and state-owned hospitals were involved in the initial round of training.
All trainees will receive a certificate and submit it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to receive a permit to prescribe or treat patients using the drug, he said, adding the training would be available every month. The second phase is expected to run from May 23-24.
A similar programme has been organised by the other ministry department, which recently assembled 150 traditional doctors nationwide who want to add cannabis to their respective dispensaries.
There are believed to be tens of thousands of traditional doctors in Thailand.
Dr Pramote Sathienrat, deputy chief of the latter department, said the training would help to promote traditional medicine featuring cannabis as a core ingredient, which could boost further research and development.
He said there are 16 traditional medicinal therapies that legally use cannabis at present, with another 74 under review.
Most of those already approved pertain to four problems: skin disease, haemorrhoids, stress relief and sleep, and reducing fatigue.
The Narcotics Act allows for cannabis to be used in medical treatments under restrict regulation.
Medical staff must obtain a licence to use cannabis to minimise the risk of abuse. However, civil society group have called on the government to allow for its unconditional use in the medical realm.
