6-2-2024 (BANGKOK) The Thai government is set to urgently introduce a bill aimed at prohibiting the recreational use of cannabis, announced the health minister on Tuesday (Feb 6), following the kingdom’s decriminalization of the drug in 2022.
In June 2022, cannabis was removed from the list of banned narcotics under the previous government, which included the pro-legalization Bhumjaithai party.
The move led to the proliferation of hundreds of cannabis dispensaries across the country, especially in Bangkok, raising concerns among critics who advocated for stricter legislation.
On Tuesday, the kingdom’s health minister disclosed that the new bill, which seeks to ban the recreational use of cannabis, will be tabled at the Cabinet meeting next week.
“The new bill will amend the existing legislation to permit the use of cannabis solely for health and medicinal purposes,” stated Chonlanan Srikaew to reporters. “Recreational use is deemed inappropriate.”
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who assumed office last August, has consistently expressed opposition to the recreational use of cannabis, advocating for its medicinal application exclusively.
Fresh pressure emerged from the public last weekend following complaints on social media from attendees of British rock band Coldplay’s concerts in Bangkok, alleging that “the entire concert smelled like marijuana.”
