20-5-2024 (BANGKOK) The Thai government’s plan to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic and limit its use to medical purposes has garnered widespread support among the public, according to a recent survey. The National Institute of Development Administration’s poll, conducted via telephone interviews from May 14 to 15, revealed that a staggering 76% of the 1,310 Thai nationals aged 18 and above who participated either “totally agreed” or “rather agreed” with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s policy reversal.
The proposed move marks a significant shift from the previous administration’s stance, which had decriminalised the plant in an effort to boost agricultural income and bolster the country’s wellness tourism industry. However, the survey results suggest that the majority of Thais are in favour of the government’s decision to recriminalise cannabis, with only 23.4% of respondents expressing their disagreement and a mere 0.9% declining to answer or indicating a lack of interest in the issue.
Notably, the poll highlighted that approximately 75% of respondents support the restricted use of cannabis for medical purposes, while 19% contended that the government should refrain from implementing any policies that facilitate the use of the plant.
The proposed policy reversal has dealt a significant blow to Thailand’s burgeoning cannabis industry, which had flourished in the wake of decriminalisation. Cannabis advocacy groups have voiced their concerns, staging rallies last week to urge the government to reconsider its plan, citing the need to protect the interests of a rapidly growing industry and a large community of growers.
Since the decriminalisation, nearly 8,000 dispensaries and a substantial number of consumer-agro firms have emerged across the country, offering a diverse range of cannabis-based products, including buds, oil extracts, and candy infused with the plant’s active chemicals.
