Thai university launches four products made from cannabis extracts

A university in Thailand on Friday launched four products from cannabis extracts, riding on the wave of the government's push to develop a medical cannabis industry.

Thailand, which has a tradition of using cannabis to relieve pain and fatigue, has legalised marijuana for medical use and research to help boost agricultural incomes.

Rangsit University, which it claims opened the country's first medicinal cannabis research institute in April, launched oral spray, oil, wafer tablets and a traditional Thai medical herb recipe with extractions from the plant.

"We'll continue on the research of the modern medicine on cannabis. Because we believe there's great potential of it. And we have now achieved four medicines already," said the school's rector Arthit Ourairat.

Besides medical research, the university has been given green light by the Ministry of Public Health to grow its own cannabis plants to develop strains.

Thailand announced on Thursday that it plans to distribute about 10,000 bottles of cannabis oil next week for hospital patients, the first official use of medical marijuana since a law legalising it came into effect this year.

Cannabis oil will be used to treat patients who suffer from nausea from chemotherapy, epilepsy, and aches and pains, the government said, adding that patients with Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and in palliative care would also benefit.