Thailand cannabis policy: PM Srettha Thavisin aims to ‘rectify’ law within 6 months to ensure medical use only

Srettha says the law needs to be rewritten such that recreational use of cannabis is not allowed

The drug problem has been ‘widespread’ lately, says Srettha, whose government has vowed to ‘eradicate’ drugs from Thai society

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A cannabis dispensary along Khao San Road in Bangkok. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 4:02pm, 21 Sep 2023Updated: 3:55pm, 25 Sep 2023

Thailand’s new prime minister has vowed to restrict the use of marijuana to medical purposes only after thousands of weed shops opened across the country since the nation became the first in Asia to decriminalise cannabis a year ago.

The government will seek to “rectify” its cannabis policy and rampant sprouting of dispensaries that freely sell the drug within a six-month time frame, Srettha Thavisin said in an interview on Wednesday in New York.

“The law will need to be rewritten,” Srettha said. “It needs to be rectified. We can have that regulated for medical use only,” he said, adding that there cannot be a middle ground for recreational use.

While Srettha said there was a broad agreement among the 11-party coalition he heads about the need to restrict cannabis use, how exactly his administration will proceed remains unclear.

Srettha’s Pheu Thai Party promoted a hardline anti-drug campaign ahead of the May election and vowed to undo the landmark policy to decriminalise cannabis. It is now in a coalition with Bhumjaithai Party led by Anutin Charnvirakul, who has vowed to press ahead with a plan to reintroduce a cannabis bill in parliament that seeks tighter monitoring of the industry but opposes classifying the plant as a drug again.

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