Thailand U-turns on cannabis, again, to legislate medical use, not re-criminalise the plant

Thailand will work towards legislating marijuana for medical use, a deputy prime minister said on Tuesday, signalling a U-turn on plans to re-criminalise the plant and another change in the government’s hazy position on cannabis.

Thailand in 2022 became one of the first countries in Asia to decriminalise marijuana, doing so without a law to govern it or clear regulations in place to prevent its recreational usage.

The move, however, led to an explosion of recreational use and the launch of tens of thousands of cannabis cafes and retailers enabling it, prompting public concern about its abuse.

Deputy premier Anutin Charnvirakul, whose party was instrumental in pushing for marijuana liberalisation, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had now agreed that legislation was the appropriate step to take.

“I thank the prime minister for considering this matter and deciding on issuing an act,” Anutin said.

The government has maintained recreational use of cannabis was not allowed and Srettha, who belongs to a different party, had said he would re-criminalise it due to concerns over abuse, with an exception for medical use and research.

“It will be a matter of law and debated in parliament, where there is already a draft law,” secretary general to the prime minister Prommin Lertsuridej told Reuters.