Thailand is aiming to have recreational cannabis banned by the end of this year, the country’s prime minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday in a statement reported by various news outlets. His words reaffirm those of Thailand’s health minister who indicated in March that the government was planning to restrict cannabis use.
Srettha also took to the social media platform X yesterday to express his intentions to have cannabis relisted as a narcotic again and to fasttrack “ministerial regulations allowing its use for medical and health purposes only.” Currently no specific timetable has been given on when the ban will be implemented.
The Thai authorities’ move to ban recreational cannabis comes only two years after it was legalised under the previous administration of Prayut Chan-o-cha, which also permitted medicinal marijuana use in 2018. The liberalisation of cannabis was intended to alleviate pressure on the Thai prison system and stimulate the economy in rural areas.
[See more: Thailand plans to criminalise recreational cannabis again]
Opponents were highly critical of the move, which they felt was not thought through properly, with unclear guidelines that have raised fears of abuse and drug-related crimes.
In a post published on X on Tuesday, Srettha made his anti-drug views clear, saying that drugs were a “problem that threatens public peace.” He noted that he had instructed local government officials and the narcotic control board to crack down on drugs and show “clear results” within 90 days.
The decision to criminalise cannabis again has not been well received by all, with Prasitchai Nunual of Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network telling the South China Morning Post that it would lead to the closure of cannabis shops. Since the legalisation policy, Thailand has seen the emergence of a lucrative industry that was forecast to have a value as high as US$1.25 billion next year.
