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 has legalized marijuana for recreational use, as well as allowing the production of various types of food or cosmetics with such “inserts.” Officially, marijuana in Thailand is expected to be legal about four months after the publication of the changes in the law journal. Practically, marijuana supporters 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.
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Recreational use of THC, and tourism
Thailand is a country that lives on tourism. As much as 20% of the country’s GDP is revenue just from the tourism industry! Even 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, not just Thai citizens? Until now, the penalty for possession or cultivation of marijuana in the country was 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 circulation of marijuana. The government hopes that opening up new opportunities for legal business will bring additional revenue to the state budget.
Growing marijuana for personal use in Thailand
What will the legalization of marijuana in Thailand look like in practice? First of all, it will be legal to purchase products with this ingredient, such as food or cosmetic products. Restaurants will be able to serve dishes containing cannabis, and anyone will be able to enjoy them without any problems. There are also plans to legalize the cultivation of marijuana for personal use, at home. However, this will be subject to regulations, the violation of which carries a penalty. To grow cannabis in Thailand, you will need to obtain the appropriate permits. It will not be possible to do so without reporting such cultivation. There will also be a limit on the amount of marijuana per household. A maximum of 6 bushels of cannabis per household will be allowed to be grown at a time [2].
Medical marijuana legal in Thailand as of 2018
In Thailand, however, marijuana is nothing new. Medical marijuana has been legal since 2018 and could be used legally even 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. A prescription and purchase of the preparation at a pharmacy was then required. This provision, of course, applied only to citizens of the country.
The legal changes to cannabis that are expected to take place in Thailand this year are an opening up and will add to the country’s budget, as well as make cannabis more accessible to all adults in the country. Not just sick people with a doctor’s prescription.
CBD and Thailand
CBD was also already legal in Thailand, as was the use of hemp. However, this only applied to hemp seeds and CBD (cannabidiol). THC was illegal to use and selling products with it was impossible and risked heavy fines [3]. CBD was perfectly safe to use in Thailand and was often added to various products, as were hemp seeds. Now, after the law was changed and decriminalized, it is to be allowed to use all parts of the plant, including those containing THC!
Government announces restrictions on recreational use of marijuana
In early September 2023, Thailand’s new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that his government would “correct” cannabis policy and tighten laws on recreational use within six months. He cited legislative problems created after cannabis was removed from the drug list without regulating the recreational cannabis market as the main reason for the change. This has led to massive sales of unlicensed marijuana, addictions and an increase in drug tourism. According to the prime minister, a consensus has been reached among the coalition government on the need to change the law and preserve the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes only.
You should also see:
- Is marijuana legal in Italy?
- Legal status of marijuana and CBD in Spain
- CBD and THC products in France
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