Tag: Thailand

Lawmakers in Thailand continue to move forward with their plan to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic, unveiling a draft regulation this week that would change the cannabis plant’s legal status. Thailand removed cannabis from its national narcotics list in June 2022.

Thailand’s historic cannabis policy shift in 2022 was supposed to pave the way for the nation’s emerging cannabis industry to become a regional and international powerhouse. Every household in the entire country could sign up initially to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants, which a reported 1.1 million citizens of Thailand have done.

At the time of Thailand’s historic change in 2022, the nation’s Public Health Minister indicated that there would be no plant limit for the government’s cannabis cultivation program. Thailand’s government also gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up for the program.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand agreed to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward after the 2022 policy change. However, times have clearly changed, and Thailand is set to make a dramatic U-turn on cannabis policy. Per the Yahoo News:

The Ministry of Public Health will re-list cannabis buds as a “category five” narcotic from Jan. 1, according to the draft rules published on Tuesday. But the use of various other parts of the plant, including roots and leaves, will however remain legal.

The ministry will receive public feedback on the proposal until June 25. Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Tuesday he will listen to suggestions from both cannabis advocates and opponents.

Researchers estimate that Thailand’s 2022 policy change resulted in roughly 12,000 cannabis dispensaries opening across the country. The dispensaries operate on three-year licenses from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicines and employ an estimated 60,000 people.

The current draft regulation that was published earlier this week does not include any grace period for cannabis businesses in Thailand, and the industry will presumably be brought to a grinding halt. Medical cannabis will still be permitted in Thailand, although details about what that will ultimately look like remain elusive.

Thailand made a historic shift in cannabis policy in June 2022 by becoming the first country in the Southeast Asia region to remove cannabis from its national narcotics listing. It appears that policy change will be short-lived, with the nation’s prime minister declaring that cannabis will be reclassified as a narcotic by the end of 2024 and that the country’s cannabis shops will be closed by April 2025.

The announcement was not surprising given the number of anti-cannabis talking points that Thailand Prime Minster Srettha Thavisin has offered up since taking office. While not surprising, it is still defeating news for Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry, which has thrived in recent years thanks in large part to the Thailand government’s help.

Every household in the entire country could sign up initially to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants, which a reported 1.1 million citizens of Thailand have done. It was the first time in the history of the world that such a public policy was implemented at a national level.

At the time of Thailand’s historic change in 2022, the Public Health Minister indicated that there would be no plant limit for the government’s cultivation program. Thailand’s government also gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up. Additionally, the government gave out low-interest loans to help aspiring cultivators get their operations started.

Thailand’s government also launched an app to help streamline the process of people signing up their households to cultivate cannabis. An FAQ public service announcement effort was launched to help people understand the law and cultivation program back then.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand previously agreed to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Thailand also released thousands of people serving time for cannabis offenses.

Unfortunately, major changes appear to be on the way. Per Thai Examiner:

An order given by the Prime Minister on Wednesday would close cannabis shops in Thailand by April 1st, 2025. On Wednesday, Srettha Thavisin made it clear he wanted cannabis reclassified as a scheduled narcotic by the end of 2024. It came as a high-powered working group zeroed in on firm plans for a drug crackdown in Thailand. The meeting was attended by three senior ministers, the Prime Minister, and the secretary to the Defence Minister. In short, one of the proposals agreed upon was the internment of drug addicts at a military base. In addition, discretion given to police in relation to small-time users was tightened. The Prime Minister said he wanted to see more vigorous police action in wiping out illegal drug use.

The region in which Thailand is located is home to some of the harshest cannabis public policies and penalties on Earth, with several Southeastern Asian countries still issuing the death penalty for certain cannabis-only offenses.

Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry was estimated to be worth 28 billion Thai baht (€728 million) within the first year of the historic 2022 policy change and was projected to increase to 336 billion baht (€8.7 billion) by 2030 prior to the prime minister’s announcement.

In June 2022, Thailand modernized its cannabis policies to permit adult-use cannabis cultivation and possession in instances involving cannabis varieties that are low in THC. As recently as February of this year, Thailand was expected to go backward on its cannabis policies and re-prohibit all forms of recreational cannabis cultivation and use.

When Thailand reformed its cannabis policies back in 2022, it was a monumental shift for a nation that is located in a region that has long been home to some of the harshest cannabis penalties on earth, including nations that still issue the death penalty for cannabis-only offenses.

At the time of Thailand’s policy shift, the measure was hailed as an amazing achievement for the global cannabis reform movement, with cannabis being removed from Thailand’s list of banned substances.

Thailand’s new approach involved permitting every household in the entire country to sign up to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants. There were no plant limits for the government’s cultivation program when it launched, and Thailand’s government even gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand agreed leading up to the implementation to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Thailand also released thousands of people serving time for cannabis offenses. That all changed in August 2023 when a new prime minister was elected, with the new incumbent vocally opposing cannabis reform.

Members of Thailand’s government have changed their tone about plans for changes to the nation’s cannabis law, although the future result seems to likely be the same. Per excerpts from The Nation:

Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said the government will soon pass a bill that ensures marijuana is used for medical and health purposes only.

Cholnan made this comment on Tuesday to apparently correct Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who recently told an online news site that his government will be putting marijuana back on the list of narcotics.

Putting marijuana back on the narcotics list would spark conflicts between coalition leader Pheu Thai and key partner Bhumjaithai.

The rhetoric being thrown around in Thailand is confusing, and largely seems to involve political semantics. If a measure is passed in Thailand that bans recreational cannabis use and limits cannabis to approved medical use only, it will further shut down what was rapidly becoming a thriving industry in Thailand. Only time will tell if/when that proves to be the case.

Thailand made regional history in 2022 when lawmakers in the Southeastern Asian country implemented a cannabis decriminalization measure. Unfortunately, less than two years after the measure took effect, lawmakers in Thailand are seeking to reverse the policy.

At the time of decriminalization’s enactment, the measure was hailed as an amazing achievement for the global cannabis reform movement, with cannabis being removed from Thailand’s list of banned substances.

The monumental policy shift served as a particularly big deal in the region where Thailand is located, with many countries in the area still having some of the harshest cannabis penalties on earth.

Thailand’s new approach involved permitting every household in the entire country to sign up to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants. There were no plant limits for the government’s cultivation program when it launched, and Thailand’s government even gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand agreed leading up to the implementation to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Thailand also released thousands of people serving time for cannabis offenses.

That all changed in August 2023 when a new prime minister was elected, with the new incumbent vocally opposing cannabis reform. Now, members of Thailand’s Cabinet are expected to approve a cannabis ban later this month. Per excerpts from Al Jazeera:

But the Thai government is looking to stamp out cannabis culture with a ban on its recreational use to be rolled out by the end of the year. Medical use will still be permitted.

In an interview with Reuters last month, Thai Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew described recreational marijuana as a “misuse” of cannabis that has a negative impact on Thai children and could lead to other drug abuses.

The Thai government’s draft law banning recreational use of cannabis will be up for cabinet approval later this month.

A lot can change in two years in the world of cannabis policy, and a great, and unfortunate, example of that can be found in Thailand. Less than two years ago, in June 2022, Thailand modernized its cannabis policies to permit adult-use cannabis cultivation and possession in instances involving cannabis varieties that are low in THC.

At the time, the measure was hailed as an amazing achievement for the global cannabis reform movement, with cannabis being removed from Thailand’s list of banned substances. The monumental policy shift served as a particularly big deal in the region where Thailand is located, with many countries in the area still having some of the harshest cannabis penalties on earth.

Thailand’s new approach involved permitting every household in the entire country to sign up to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants. There were no plant limits for the government’s cultivation program when it launched, and Thailand’s government even gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand agreed leading up to the implementation to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Thailand also released thousands of people serving time for cannabis offenses. That all changed in August 2023 when a new prime minister was elected, with the new incumbent vocally opposing cannabis reform.

It is being reported that as early as next week a new cannabis measure will be introduced, with the goal of the measure being to make it clear that recreational cannabis use is strictly prohibited in Thailand. Per The Straits Times:

On Feb 6, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said the new Bill, which bans the recreational use of cannabis, will be proposed at the Cabinet meeting next week.

“The new Bill will be amended from the existing one to only allow the use of cannabis for health and medicinal purposes,” he told reporters. “The use for fun is considered wrong.”

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who took office in August 2023, has frequently voiced his opposition to the recreational use of the drug and said it should be allowed only for medicinal use.

It is no secret that cannabis has proliferated in Thailand, however, that was by design. The previous government in Thailand did everything imaginable to make cannabis production a priority, and to make cannabis widely available.

Yet, just because cannabis is more widespread in Thailand does not automatically mean that there are significant issues resulting from it. What is currently legal in Thailand, and soon to be prohibited, is cannabis which has a very low THC content.

Compared to the cannabis in other countries, such as Canada, the cannabis in Thailand is fairly benign. Unfortunately, lawmakers and regulators do not see it that way, and it is presumed at this point that Thailand is about to go backward on its cannabis policies.

In June 2022, Thailand reformed its cannabis policies to permit adult-use cannabis cultivation and possession in instances involving cannabis varieties low in THC. At the time it was hailed as an amazing achievement for the global cannabis reform movement, and it served as a particularly big deal in the region where Thailand is located.

It really seemed that Thailand’s government was fully invested in pursuing cannabis reform and making cannabis a national product. Every household in the entire country could sign up initially to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants. It was the first time in the history of the world that such a public policy was implemented at a national level.

At the time Thailand’s Public Health Minister indicated that there would be no plant limit for the government’s cultivation program. Thailand’s government also gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up. Additionally, the government gave out low-interest loans to help aspiring cultivators get their operations started.

Thailand’s government also launched an app to help streamline the process of people signing up their households to cultivate cannabis. An FAQ public service announcement effort was launched to help people understand the law and cultivation program back then.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand previously agreed to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Thailand also released thousands of people serving time for cannabis offenses.

By every measure, Thailand was trying to become an international cannabis powerhouse back in 2022. However, that was then, and big changes appear to be on the way, with Thailand expected to regress on its national approach to cannabis policy. Per Bangkok Post:

Smoking cannabis is likely to require a permit from a doctor, according to Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew, who says his new cannabis bill differs from a failed predecessor as it will be very clear on how to use the plant for medical treatment.

Dr Cholnan insisted that the bill preserves a key point that cannabis is to be used for medical treatment only, and any use for recreational purposes will not be allowed.

It’s unfortunate that Thailand’s government is pursuing this new approach to cannabis. Cannabis use is widespread in Thailand, particularly after such a big push by the government itself in 2022. It’s going to be impossible to eliminate recreational use in Thailand, just as it is in every other nation, and Thailand would be wise to improve on its current model rather than scrap it.

In June 2022, Thailand’s government made a fairly substantial shift in how it approaches cannabis policy. At the time the policy change was hailed as ‘legalization,’ however, it’s worth noting that what was legalized was low-THC cannabis.

Still, it was a historic shift for a nation located in Southeast Asia where some of the harshest cannabis policies on earth are also located. Every household in the entire country became eligible to sign up to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants. It’s the first time in the history of the world that such a public policy was implemented at a national level.

For a time things seemed to be very exciting in Thailand. As part of the rollout of the new law, Thailand gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up to cultivate cannabis. The government even gave out low-interest loans to help aspiring cultivators get their operations started.

The Health Ministry largely led the charge for cannabis policy modernization in Thailand, however, a broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand entered into an agreement to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Unfortunately, the honeymoon period appears to be over, as captured in the X post below:

Thailand will end the free use of cannabis, a year after becoming the first in Asia to decriminalize the drug, says the nation’s new leader Srettha Thavisin. Weed can be used for medical purposes only, he says.

Read the full story: https://t.co/0sQYLnkzSB pic.twitter.com/Q4EvSgO14W

A cannabis and hemp regulation bill sponsored by the Bhumjaithai Party passed its first reading in parliament in June, and ministries in Thailand are forming a committee to review the measure and will eventually provide their own recommendations.

“Whether we continue with the present draft or develop a new one, I insist there must be laws to control cannabis use,” said Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew according to Bangkok Post. “Using cannabis for recreational purposes must be forbidden. The improper use of cannabis will lead to dangers for users.”

The cannabis policy discussion in Thailand will now largely focus on what constitutes medical cannabis use versus ‘recreational’ use. It’s not a new discussion within the global cannabis community, as many advocates around the globe feel very passionately that all cannabis use is medical to some degree.

As with any public policy change, the devil will be in the details, and how long the process will take is anyone’s guess. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see how meaningful any changes prove to be, as enforcement could prove to be difficult after so much has transpired. It’s an interesting situation from a public policy standpoint, to say the least.