In 2022 the Southeast Asian country of Thailand shocked the world by removing cannabis from its list of controlled narcotics. The ruling created a legal vacuum – dispensaries opened up on ‘every corner’ in Bangkok and tourists and locals alike were smoking joints in public and newly opened cannabis clubs.
After less than two years, Thailand’s cannabis laws are again facing upheaval. After a general election in May 2023 brought about a new Prime Minister, the government plans to criminalise cannabis again.
A government committee has won a vote to reclassify cannabis and hemp back to a ‘Category 5 Narcotic’ making it illegal to possess and sell. This reclassification will place cannabis and hemp into the same category as the kratom plant and psychedelic mushrooms.
Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin used rhetoric that some may feel is outdated and without scientific basis when he linked cannabis to heroin addiction, depression and suicide.
However, the committee did agree unanimously that cannabis has therapeutic and medicinal properties. They decided that cannabis and hemp should be used medically, but not recreationally.
Chairman of the committee, Dr Surachoke said that although there were disagreements on some points a decision was made to enact the reclassification of cannabis back to Category 5’ on the 1st of January 2025.
“If the Office of the Narcotic Control Board agrees with our conclusion, the next step will be for the Food and Drug Administration to amend any cannabis-related laws and set up criteria for how the plants can be used. All related laws should be amended before Jan 1. That is the timeframe that we are expecting for this law to take effect,” Dr Surachoke said.
A survey conducted by The Ministry of Health appeared to show the public was in favour of reclassifying cannabis. Minister Thepsutin said the results revealed that 80% of the 111,201 surveyed felt cannabis should revert to its previous legal status.
Despite this alleged show of public support, there are many people who strongly disagree with the government’s plan for cannabis. In a show of opposition around 100 protestors held a rally outside the Prime Minister’s official residence Government House last Monday, many of whom were seen holding cannabis plants.
Organiser, Prasitchai Nunual from the Thai Cannabis Future Network called on the government to form a new committee to study the benefits cannabis has brought to the country, “A committee should study the issue. The facts should be established and laid out for the public to see,” he said to the Bangkok Post.
According to the Associated Press, Mr Nunual also suggested that there may be things going on behind the scenes that the public isn’t aware of involving businesses and politicians that may have influenced the reclassification decision, “This fight for cannabis is not only for medical security or people’s rights but also for destroying the monopoly of politicians taking (its) benefits away from the people.”
Cannabis advocates warned that the government’s plans have not been thoroughly thought through and don’t consider all of the factors.“We’ve relaxed the regulations to allow people to make use of cannabis. What will happen to people who grow cannabis? Will they face legal action? What about some 8,000 cannabis-related offenders who were freed in June 2022?” said Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul to the Bangkok Post.
This story first appeared on leafie, view here
Author: Kevin Dinneen
