Bangkok – As the public consultation process concludes next Wednesday, the bill to legalize Kratom will be forwarded to the Narcotics Control Board for consideration. Kratom was used as stimulant and was outlawed earlier as the government was looking at boosting the tax revenue. A high portion of the revenue came from opium.
An attempt was made earlier too to remove Kratom plant from the list but it failed to find any takers as people were concerned about the illicit kratom- based cocktail known as “4×100”.
Probably, this year by June, the plant will be taken off the national narcotics drug list in a move to unlock its medical and economic benefits. It was traditionally used to cure insomnia, treat physical pain, fever, dysentery and diarrhea. Visit this website, Nootroholic, to know some more benefits of this kratom plant. The plant is said to have medicinal properties and was used for various treatment. Then, 78 years ago the government categorized it as a Type-5 narcotic drug and since then have spent millions in prosecuting people found possessing it or trading in it.
Somsak Thepsutin, the Justice Minister is trying hard to reclassify the narcotics bill. In a public hearing on the bill he said that the path should be clear by June 10th this year. He said he not an expert on the matter nor does he know the technicalities of lawmaking but as a minister he is looking to set a clear time frame for the enactment of the bill. He further mentioned that on March 3 he cabinet will be asked for the bill approval before it is fine-tuned by the government advisory body.