Thailand Plans Legislation to Fully Ban Recreational Cannabis Use, Restricting It to Medical and Research Purposes Only

Thailand’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) under the Ministry of Public Health has released a draft Cannabis Control Bill that would strictly limit cannabis use to medical and scientific research purposes. The draft comprehensively prohibits commercial advertising and marketing of cannabis and proposes the establishment of a national-level regulatory committee to close the legal loopholes that have emerged since cannabis was removed from the narcotics list.

According to reports, DTAM Deputy Director-General Tiwan stated that the proposed legislation would create a unified framework covering the cultivation, production, import/export, sale, and public health protection related to cannabis.

Anyone intending to cultivate, produce, import/export, or sell cannabis would be required to obtain a three-year license issued by the DTAM Director-General. The bill would prohibit the sale of cannabis to persons under the age of 20, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. Sales would also be banned in temples, schools, dormitories, parks, zoos, and amusement parks.

To curb recreational use, the bill would ban advertising or marketing of cannabis flowers (inflorescences), resin, and smoking paraphernalia.

Although regulatory measures have tightened, enforcement remains relatively lax, and Thailand’s cannabis market has not suffered significant damage.

Cannabis and its extracts would be permitted only for medical use under the supervision of qualified professionals or for authorized research activities. Anyone engaging in the unauthorized production, import/export, or sale of cannabis, or selling it to restricted groups, would face imprisonment and fines. Unauthorized use of cannabis would also be subject to fines.

The sale of cannabis roots, branches, stems, leaves, and seeds, as well as the medical use of cannabis by healthcare professionals in accordance with existing laws, would fall outside the scope of the bill’s restrictions.

DTAM Director-General Phongsaton noted that the draft has completed public consultation and was submitted to the Minister of Public Health on 20 July for consideration by the Cabinet.

In 2018, Thailand’s parliament passed legislation legalizing the medical use of cannabis, making it the first country in Asia to fully legalize the use and research of medical cannabis. In 2022, the Thai government removed cannabis and industrial hemp from the Category 5 controlled narcotics list. This was followed by widespread cultivation and sales, with numerous cannabis retail outlets appearing on the streets of Bangkok and other tourist destinations, raising social concerns including adolescent misuse. The government has therefore decided to legislate tighter controls on cannabis use.