Marijuana legal in Thailand

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In late January 2022, the Thai government decided to remove marijuana (cannabis) from the list of drugs. This means that Thailand legalized marijuana for recreational use, and also allowed for the production of various foods or cosmetics containing it. Officially, marijuana in Thailand is expected to be legal about 4 months after the publication of the amendments in the Journal of Laws. But, marijuana advocates celebrated these changes in the law on the very first day after the decision was announced. Crowds of people gathered in downtown Bangkok to celebrate together by smoking cannabis. 

Recreational use of THC, and tourism

Thailand is a country that heavily depends on tourism. As much as 20% of the country’s GDP comes from tourism! Yet before the pandemic, as many as 40 million tourists visited Thailand in 2019 [1]. Will the fact that Thailand has legalized marijuana also apply to visitors, and not just Thai citizens? Up until recently, the possession or cultivation of marijuana in that country had been punishable by up to 15 years in prison! 

After legalization, though, marijuana use will be strictly controlled. Thailand is the first Asian country to decide to completely decriminalize the sale and purchase of marijuana. The government hopes that opening up new opportunities for legitimate business will bring additional revenue into the state budget. 

Growing marijuana for personal use in Thailand

What will marijuana legalization in Thailand look like in practice? First of all, it will be legal to purchase products containing this ingredient, such as foodstuffs or cosmetics. Restaurants will be able to serve dishes containing cannabis, and anyone will be able to order them without any obstacles. There are also plans to legalize growing marijuana for personal use, at home. However, this will be subject to regulations with penalties if broken. To grow cannabis in Thailand, you will need to obtain the proper permits. This will not be possible without reporting such a crop. There will also be a limit on the amount of marijuana per household. You will be allowed to grow up to 6 bushels of marijuana per household at a time [2]. 

Medical marijuana legal in Thailand since 2018

In Thailand, however, marijuana is nothing new. Medical marijuana has been legal since 2018 and you could legally use it back then. However, medical marijuana could only be used for medical reasons when a medical condition indicated that this plant could help the patient feel better. It was then required to have a prescription and you had to purchase the product at a pharmacy. That provision, of course, applied only to citizens of the country. 

The legal changes concerning cannabis expected to take place in Thailand this year will open up new possibilities and will contribute to the country’s budget, as well as make cannabis more accessible to all adults in the country. Not just to those who are ill and have a doctor’s prescription. 

CBD and Thailand

CBD was legal in Thailand in the past, just like the use of hemp. However, this only applied to hemp seeds and CBD (cannabidiol). THC was illegal to use, and selling products containing it was banned and subject to heavy fines [3]. CBD was perfectly safe to use in Thailand and was often added to a variety of products, as were hemp seeds. Now that the law has been changed and cannabis was decriminalized, all parts of the plant are to be allowed, including those containing THC! 

See also:

Norway vs. CBD and THC

Marijuana and CBD in Germany

Where is CDB legal? List of countries

References

[1] https://www.rp.pl/biznes/art19301391-legalna-marihuana-i-powrot-kasyn-tajlandia-chce-sciagnac-turystow 

[2]https://turystyka.wp.pl/tajlandia-zalegalizowala-marihuane-palacze-swietuja-biznesmeni-licza-na-zyski-6730459228273344a 

[3]https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/news%2C1061676%2Cw-tajlandii-zalegalizowano-konopie-indyjskie-palacze-swietuja-biznesmeni