Thailand decriminalised cannabis 3 years ago. Now it’s banning sales without a prescription

By&nbspEuronews&nbspwith&nbspAP

Published on 26/06/2025 - 10:01 GMT+2

Thailand is further tightening power of cannabis by banning income of nan works to those without prescriptions.

Thailand became nan first state successful Asia to decriminalise cannabis successful 2022, successful a move that boosted Thailand’s tourism and farming, and spawned thousands of shops.

But nan state has faced nationalist backlash complete allegations that under-regulation has made nan supplier disposable to children and caused addiction.

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin signed an bid this week that bans shops from trading cannabis to customers without a prescription. It besides seeks to reclassify cannabis buds arsenic a controlled herb.

Phanurat Lukboon, secretary-general of nan Office of nan Narcotics Control Board, said Wednesday that his agency is fresh to study and instrumentality nan alteration successful regulations.

The bid did not item immoderate reward for nan violation. It will return effect erstwhile it is published successful nan Royal Gazette, though it was unclear erstwhile that would happen.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party antecedently promised to criminalise nan supplier again, but faced beardown guidance from its erstwhile partner successful nan conjugation government, nan Bhumjaithai Party, which supported decriminalisation.

Somsak told reporters that he would for illustration to relist cannabis arsenic a narcotic successful nan future. The move came aft officials past period revealed that cannabis smuggling cases involving visitors had soared successful caller months.

Phanurat said that a study done by his agency past twelvemonth recovered nan number of group addicted to cannabis had spiked importantly aft it was decriminalised.

A group of cannabis advocates said Wednesday that nan alteration successful regulations was politically motivated. The group said they will rally astatine nan Health Ministry adjacent period to reason nan alteration and nan effort to make it a criminal offence again to devour aliases waste cannabis.