21-9-2023 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s lawmakers are set to reintroduce efforts to enact comprehensive legislation governing the use of cannabis for medical and research purposes, according to a senior legislator. This initiative comes more than a year after the country legalized cannabis without clear regulatory frameworks.
In the previous year, Thailand made history as the first Southeast Asian nation to decriminalize cannabis. However, due to the absence of specific regulations, the government had to hastily implement rules to prevent uncontrolled cannabis use, particularly among young individuals.
The forthcoming legislation aims to regulate an industry projected to reach a value of up to US$1.2 billion in the coming years, as cannabis shops have proliferated in the capital city of Bangkok and popular tourist destinations, including Phuket.
Saritpong Kiewkong, a member of the Bhumjaithai party, which played a leading role in the decriminalization effort and is now the second-largest component of Thailand’s 11-party coalition government, emphasized that cannabis use will be strictly reserved for medical purposes and research. He stated, “There is no policy for recreational use,” underscoring that such measures are not currently under consideration.
The proposed legislation, which consolidates existing measures against public cannabis use, is expected to take approximately a year to finalize and pass. It encompasses provisions related to permits for cultivation, sales, and distribution, as well as stricter regulations concerning cannabis sales in places like temples, schools, and amusement parks.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin recently expressed his support for the medical use of cannabis but clarified that recreational use was not endorsed by the government.
