Thailand was the first country in Asia with legal cannabis, but the plans failed

Thailand was the first country in Asia with legal cannabis, but the plans failed

Since Thailand has been the first country in Asia in Asia, the government has introduced new regulations this week that aimed at the " green" Boom ”of the country.

new provisions for the purchase of cannabis

Since Thursday, customers have needed a recipe from a doctor to buy cannabis, which limits the plant's consumption to medical and health purposes.

position of the Thai health authorities

The Thai Minister of Health told CNN that he ultimately strives for the recriminalization of cannabis as an anesthetic. This would be a significant step backwards from Thailand's liberal approach since the decriminalization, which led to a boom of pharmacies and cannabis cafes across the country, especially in tourist areas. "This must be understood clearly: cannabis is only allowed for medical purposes," said Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin.

medical certificates and advertising prohibited

The new regulations of the Thai Ministry of Health should enforce the regulation of cannabis as a controlled plant. This means that licensed cannabis shops are only allowed to sell to customers with a medical recipe. You are also obliged to conduct detailed sales protocols and are subject to regular controls by the authorities. The new provisions also enforce stricter controls for growers and farmers, prohibit commercial advertising and the sale of cannabis in machines or online.

Over 18,000 licensed cannabis shops across the country have to adapt or risk closing. Penalties for sellers who violate the new rules can be up to one year in prison or a fine of 20,000 baht ($ 620), even though the Ministry of Health proposes a draft law that could significantly increase these punishments.

changes in tourist hotspots

The advertising ban could also change the landscape of tourist hotspots such as Khao San Road in Bangkok or beach cities such as Pattaya, where hundreds of cannabis shops and cafés with their green neon lights and inviting slogans are waiting for tourists. Now tourists and locals have to present a medical certificate from Thailand or their home country to buy cannabis flowers to treat certain diseases such as nausea through chemotherapy, medication -resistant epilepsy or nerve pain.

"We would like to tell the tourists that they are welcome to enjoy the culture and nature of Thailand - but Thailand should not be seen as a goal for the leisure consumption of cannabis," said Somsak.

background of the new rules

Medical marijuana has been legal in Thailand since 2018, but decriminalization in 2022 led to the cultivation and trade with marijuana or hemp products and the use of all parts of the plant for disease treatment - a big step in a region that is known for their strict punishments in illegal drugs. After legalization, the government had planned to regulate the industry. But when this did not occur, a legal vacuum was created in which leisure use in the whole country, especially in areas popular for foreigners, exploded.

growth of the cannabis industry and its effects

Legal legalization led to thousands of cannabis pharmacies as well as other cannabis-related companies such as weed cafes and hemp spas. Cities like Chiang Mai and Bangkok even organized cannabis festivals, and the decriminalization was a great attraction for tourists. Such a festival in Bangkok recently presented Mike Tyson, who presented his own brand of cannabis rubber in boxing glove and ear form.

A report by the Thai Ministry of Commerce from 2022 estimated that the industry could achieve a value of $ 1.2 billion by 2025, although Somsak noted that "no clear estimate" of the value of the industry is currently being "due to non-regulated transactions". He explained that the new rules contribute to closing the legal vacuum and preventing abuse.

social effects and smuggling

supporters of a stricter regulation point out that industry has come out of control, and call health concerns, cannabis consumption among children and addiction problems, while the symptoms about tourists who smoke in the streets are increasing in the Thai islands. A plan was proposed on the PHUKET holiday island that would set up zones where cannabis can be bought and sold. "The cannabis dependency is currently increasing and has become a social problem. It affects children and causes harassment from undesirable smells," said Somsak.

"Public security must be in the first place ... The current cannabis industry consists of scattered, unregulated shops." In addition, the smuggling of cannabis has been skyrocketed since legalization.

influence on the market

Several top -class cases that affect young British women and made headlines this year are all from Thailand. The problem became so serious that British and Thai authorities had to form a common task force to stop the increase in drugs that are smuggled by tourists and by post from Thailand to Great Britain. Thailand has implemented stricter screening measures at its limits. Between October 2024 and March 2025, more than 800 cannabis smugglers were arrested and ensured by nine tons of cannabis, as the British government reports.

disorders in the industry

For cannabis supporters, the boom is a help for many Thai countries across Thailand, from farmers to small business owners and sellers. Some sellers are now trying to understand what the new regulations will mean for their business. "The ambiguity of the law has already triggered concern," said Ake Khatiyadamrong, a cannabis shop owner in the province of Chonburi in eastern Thailand.

"It is really a shame - Thailand was actually one of the first countries in the world that recognized the advantages of cannabis. But after it was legalized, state officials failed to advance the implementation. There was no real attempt to inform the public. The ministerial regulations that were made were also not seriously enforced."

cannabis advocates argue that the new regulations will not stop the smuggling or unexcited grower and increase the risk of corruption. "This is an impulsive reaction to supposedly tackle the smuggling problem," said Kitty Chopaka, a long-time cannabis activist with the Advocacy Group Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network, which is committed to fair access.

chopaka argues that many businesses are operated without licenses and sell products such as gummy bears and food that are technically illegal but are easily available. "The police do not close them," she added. AKE, the shop owner, explained that the demand for a medical certificate to buy cannabis that people will not prevent it from buying it for leisure consumption purposes. "Everyone knows that medical certificates can be bought, so it only creates a new source of income for certain doctors ... It burdened consumers with additional costs for access to cannabis, especially in view of the current economic problems of Thailand and the global economic situation," he said.

ake welcomes the regulations that create stability in the industry, but wants clear, balanced laws that are fair for everyone. "Everything has to be understandable and really safe. I think this is the core principle. It's not about selling cheap, illegal products. These cannot guarantee the security of the users," he said.

Since legalization, the overproduction of cannabis has oversaturated the market and pressed the prices, so that cannabis sellers have to accept losses in their income. "There are not enough sales, the costs for cannabis are very cheap and the people who live here buy directly from the farms," ​​said Chopaka, who recently had to close their shop due to low prices and underbidings by larger sellers.

attempts to legate and political pressure

There were several attempts to enact laws to regulate the cannabis industry. The ruling pheu Thai party but the drug was criminalized again last year Coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai party, opposite the original legalization. Somsak's most recent advance takes place after the Bhumjaithai got out of the coalition government last week. He said the new regulations were only a first step - however, admitted that it would take time to bring a draft law through Parliament.