Thailand mulls tighter regulations for possession of amphetamine
The Public Health Ministry is preparing a revised ministerial regulation on the possession of amphetamine tablets for the Cabinet to review.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday that the draft regulation stipulates that a person caught with one tablet of amphetamine will be considered an addict, while one with two or more tablets will be considered a dealer.
Anutin said the regulation is being prepared by a committee reviewing rehabilitation for drug addicts that he chairs.
The draft ministerial regulation aims to deal with drug dealers who take advantage of current regulations’ loopholes, he said. The regulation stipulates that a person caught with no more than five amphetamine tablets will be considered a drug addict.
Asked if the amendment will help end the scourge of drugs in Thailand, Anutin said related agencies have discussed this issue a great deal, especially the impact drugs have on children, families and society.
“The reason [behind proposing the draft ministerial regulation] is that we need strict measures and prove that legal procedures are effective,” he said, adding that there is no space in prisons to detain people involved in narcotics-related crimes.
He said the police are responsible for legal procedures, while the Public Health Ministry will seek funds for rehabilitating drug addicts.
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