Cannabis consumers in Thailand will now need a prescription to buy the drug, in a reversal of the country’s policy.
In 2022, Thailand became the first Asian country to decriminalise the drug, resulting in the launch of thousands of cannabis businesses, a boost in tourism, and an increasingly growing industry.
The party in government has since changed, and the current government is walking it back, citing public health concerns.
Details
A 2022 survey by researchers at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok found as much as 25% of the adult population of Thailand was using cannabis, primarily in food and drinks.
Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsab said in a statement the current law was making drugs too easy for children to access, “which contradicts the government’s purpose to crack down on drugs.”
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In a first step towards re-criminalisation, prospective users must now have a prescription for specific conditions to buy cannabis.
Next Steps
In a statement last week, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said “eliminating drugs [is] a national agenda that must be urgently implemented”.
Paetongtarn’s party Pheu Thai is in favour of fully re-criminalising cannabis.
However, its government is currently destabilised, with another party having quit the ruling coalition, and protests against Paetongtarn’s leadership.
