Uni donates seed money for cannabis

Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Sakhon Nakhon campus will supply 18,000 cannabis seeds to the Ministry of Public Health for harvesting cannabis.

“This donation of seeds is the vision of the university to promote traditional medicine,” Kosit Sriputhon, deputy rector of Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Sakhon Nakhon campus, said yesterday during the event to hand over 18,000 seeds to representatives of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.

The department will reportedly grant permits to social ventures and local cooperatives to plant the seeds at 150 sites near the ministry’s local offices.

Rajamangala University of Technology Isan Council is one of a few universities in Thailand that have been proactive in promoting marijuana for medical use.

Mr Kosit said the initiative on medical marijuana was being pushed by Surakiart Sathirathai, chairperson of the university and Viroj Limkhaisang, its rector.

Two years ago, the university built a greenhouse for academic research into the potential medical uses of marijuana which was certified by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FAD).

According to the deputy rector, the facility has CCTV installed and personnel to guard it.

The change of focus comes after the cabinet early this month approved a proposal to amend the Narcotics Act to allow patients, medical practitioners and traditional healers to grow cannabis for medical and commercial purposes. [Read more @ Bangkok Post]