Legal Kratom Edges Closer In Thailand
While Kratom primarily comes from Southeast Asia, it is illegal in many of those areas. However, the opinion is beginning to change and some areas are thinking about legalizing Kratom in the future. This is what is starting to happen in Thailand. In this country, authorities fight fiercely against the use of Kratom since it is classified as a controlled substance. However, this may change soon. Within this guide, you’re going to learn more about the changing legality of Kratom in Thailand.
Anti-Kratom Laws
Right now, Kratom is fully legal in most countries. However, there are a few countries with anti-kratom laws on the books. This includes Australia, Malaysia, Burma, and Thailand. For whatever reason, these countries have decided to take a hard stance against the naturally-grown substance. There is one big difference between Thailand and the others though. This has to do with the fact that Thailand is the place where the Mitragyna Speciosa tree originated. The plant has grown naturally in the forests across Thailand for thousands of years.
Nevertheless, media pundits prefer bashing kratom by claiming it is a threat to health. Whether or not there is proof, this is the stance many have decided to take.
Thailand Legal Status
In Thailand, Kratom has been shunned for many years. The Kratom Act has been enforced in Thailand since the 1940s. And, it is still active today. However, it has changed a bit over the years. In 1979, the Thai government decided to downgrade the drug’s illegal status. The government reclassified Kratom as a Schedule 5 Substance under the Narcotics Act. Now, Kratom sits alongside marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. Using Kratom is considered a low-level criminal offense. The punishments for doing so are slim to none.
Furthermore, the Thai government has taken steps to lift those restrictions in recent years.
Legalized
In December of 2018, it was announced that things were starting to change. At this time, Thailand announced that it has approved kratom plants and cannabis for medicinal use. However, this didn’t change everything. People can still get into trouble for possessing large quantities of either. Furthermore, both are still scheduled 5 drugs. Possessing large quantities of each drug will still come with a death sentence in Thailand and bordering countries around the region. On Christmas Day, the Thai government passed new legislation approving the use of marijuana for research and medicinal purposes.
Despite the move, the laws in Thailand are still strict. For instance, adult use of recreational cannabis is still illegal. However, the legal amendments mean that Thailand citizens will be able to use kratom and marijuana for medicinal purposes. The law says nothing about who is going to supply marijuana and kratom to people who are eligible to receive it.
Getting Closer
Suffice to say, Thailand officials have changed their opinion regarding Kratom over the years. Nevertheless, many argue that they haven’t gone far enough yet. With that being said, consumers should know that new legislation will remove kratom from the list of narcotics in Thailand. This legislation is one step closer to becoming law. Last Wednesday, the Council of State finished looking at the amendment to change the Narcotics Act. Now, it will send it back to the cabinet for endorsement before it can be forwarded to Parliament.
The Cabinet agreed that it was time to remove Kratom from the drugs list in March. However, Niyom Termsrisuk made it clear that the substance was still illegal. The number of cases had climbed nearly 50% between April and June suggesting that many thought it had already been delisted. While this isn’t the case, it is becoming closer to reality. It is only a matter of time before Kratom is legalized in Thailand.
