BANGKOK Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said today (June 14) that he is concerned about the impact of the liberal marijuana use that started on June 9 as a 51-year-old man suffered a congestive heart failure and died after consuming large amounts of the plant, Sanook.com said.
Addressing a Bangkok Executive Board meeting, Chadchart said as the liberal marijuana policy is worrying three Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) departments are to closely monitor it with these being Medical and Health offices plus the Education Bureau.
After the policy became effective on June 9, possessing and using all parts of cannabis plants, including flowers and seeds, are now allowed. However, extracted content remains illegal if it contains more than 0.2% of the psychoactive ingredient that produces a “high” — tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
Chadchart said as of June 9 four patients were hospitalised from consumption of marijuana with one of them have having died with details as follows:
– Two patients aged 17 and 25 were admitted toTaksin Hospital after suffering from heart palpitations;
– A 51-year-old man was treated at Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital for sudden cardiac arrest but later died;
– A 16-year-old youth was admitted to Luang Phor Taweesak Chutinataro Uthit Hospital with overdose symptoms and is currently in the ICU.
Chadchart pointed out that it is necessary to make medical preparations and provide knowledge about marijuana.
Moreover there is the issue of adding parts of cannabis plants to food with BMA monitoring and educating students and teachers about it.
It is being considered to issue an announcement banning marijuana in Bangkok’s schools but details are still being worked out such as not allowing vendors to sell food with parts of cannabis plants added in front of schools as the city administration does not want children to come into contact with it.
The first step would be to keep marijuana away from schools, he said, adding that this is a new issue but since this law has been issued BMA has to act accordingly.
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Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt addressing an executive board meeting today, top, and talking to reporters recently Front Page. Photos: INN News
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