BANGKOK: The government has not decided whether to legalise the use of cannabis for medical purposes in the country, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the government was still waiting for the recommendations of the Health Ministry before deciding on the matter.
"Right now, it is not taken seriously. We will wait for the findings. There are issues affecting security,” he told Malaysian reporters at the end of his two-day official visit to Thailand on Friday (Feb 10).
He was asked to comment whether the government would continue or stop the research on the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
Former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin went on a working visit to Thailand in August last year to assess the potential use of cannabis for medical purposes and the legal framework for its medical use.
Khairy said then that the government would study Thailand’s experience to adapt to the Malaysian context before deciding on the matter.
Thailand is the first South-East Asian country to legalise the use of cannabis for medical purposes. - Bernama