Cannabis penalties to be quashed from Thursday

Thailand’s Courts of Justice announced that suspects and prisoners on charges related to cannabis use and possession would be freed after cannabis and hemp are removed from the Public Health Ministry’s Category 5 drug list.

The decriminalisation of cannabis and hemp in Thailand will come into effect from Thursday, June 9 onwards, so there will be a change in all cannabis related offenses.

On Saturday, spokesperson of the Courts of Justice, Sorrawit Limparangsi, confirmed that all suspects and prisoners charged with production, import, export, distribution, use, and possession of cannabis even before June 9 would be released.

Sorrawit says the court would dismiss cases for any suspects on trial, and prisoners in jail would be released. Those who had already paid or presented any assets for bail would get their assets back too.

The Ministry of Public Health is working to…