Thailand’s first medical marijuana clinic plans to begin distribution of cannabis oil to registered patients next month.
The Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Prachin Buri province – home of the kingdom’s first medical marijuana clinic – said it would distribute upward of 9,000 bottles containing 1.4% THC beginning Aug. 23 following successful clinical trials.
“Abhaibhubejhr will not be the only hospital that distributes the cannabis oil, we will also send the bottles to other registered hospitals around the country,” hospital spokeswoman Bengawan Manman told Coconuts Bangkok yesterday.
Between the hospital and a government agency also preparing bottles of THC-charged oil, there are nearly 20,000 bottles of THC-charged oil on their way. The Government Pharmaceutical Organization also announced plans to produce 10,000 bottles by Aug. 7.
The hospital is preparing it using roughly 660 kilograms of seized marijuana provided by the Narcotics Control Board, according to chief hospital pharmacist Suphaporn Pitiporn. She guaranteed the oil to be distributed would be free of chemical contaminants such as harmful pesticides and camium.
Patients must obtain prescriptions from physicians or traditional medicine practitioners who have become certified through a government training course.
The hospital hopes to distribute an additional 15,000 bottles a month later by Sept. 20 before doubling that output to 32,000 in October.
The hospital said it awaiting approval to import 2,500 marijuana seeds from the Netherlands to grow its own herb. Suphaporn said the hospital hopes to use it to produce an additional 4,300 bottles.
Both the Food and Drug Administration and Medical Department will oversee distribution, according to Sukhum Kanchanapimai, permanent secretary of Public Health.
Some 100 hospitals have already submitted requests to provide cannabis oil. Sukhum added that the oil is expected to be distributed to 13 regions around the kingdom. Each must have a central hospital responsible for product distribution to local hospitals.
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