THA/446
WTO/SPS
TH Thailand
  • 67 - Lebensmitteltechnologie
2021-10-27
2021-09-29

Food products containing parts of Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil

Draft Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Notification, No. … B.E. …. (....) Issued by virtue of the Food Act B.E. 2522 entitled "Amendment of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 424) B.E. 2564 (2021) Re: Prescribed Prohibited Food to be Produced, Imported, or Sold". Language(s): Thai and English. Number of pages: 1 and 1

Recently Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil, commonly known as "kratom," has been removed from the list of controlled narcotics in Schedule V under the Narcotics Act B.E. 2522 (1972) that was amended by the Narcotics Act (No. 8) B.E. 2564 (2021), effectively decriminalizing the consumption, production, and possession of kratom, for any purpose and in any quantity or form.

Food products containing kratom are considered as novel food under the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 376) B.E.2559 (2016) regarding novel food of which safety for consumption shall be assessed prior to being sold in Thailand.

By the virtue of the articles 5 and 6(8) of the Food Act of B.E. 2522 (1979), the Minister of Public Health hereby issued the (draft) Notification as follows:

Clause 1 - According to the Annex of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 424) B.E. 2564 (2021) regarding the prescription of prohibited food to be produced, imported, or sold (published on 25 February 2021), Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil. (Kratom) (whole plant) and its extract (item No. 52) are prohibited from being produced, imported, or sold except those that safety for consumption as food is evaluated and the product label is submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for approval before use as prescribed in the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Novel Food.

Clause 2 - This notification shall enter into force from the day following the date of its publication in the Government Gazette.