Thailand's new government has taken steps to make good on its promise to end adult-use cannabis, with health minister Cholnan Srikaew tabling legislation to overhaul the country's existing cannabis laws.
Shortly after taking office last year, prime minister Srettha Thavisin said his government would rewrite the country's cannabis laws within six months to allow medical use only and put a halt to recreational sales.
Thailand removed cannabis from its list of controlled substances in 2022, but updated rules permitting home cultivation for medical purposes and the inclusion of cannabis in food and cosmetics production got off to a bumpy start after businesses began openly selling the substance on the streets of Bangkok.
In response, the government rolled out several new measures amid growing concern about unregulated consumption, including among minors.
The proposed changes would confine cannabis to medical applications only, with recreational use expressly forbidden.
Licensed retailers would be permitted to sell only those parts of the plant that meet legal requirements — an arrangement that would likely exclude flower given its THC content — and advertising of buds, extracts and related products would be prohibited.
Whether a medical certificate would be needed to purchase medicinal cannabis remains unclear.
Should the cabinet approve the bill in principle, it will then be forwarded to the Lower House for further consideration.