The government announced it on Tuesday: cannabis will no longer be considered illegal in Thailand. A campaign has been led in this direction by the Ministry of Health since 2019. The kingdom thus becomes the first country in Asia to decriminalize the plant.
By 2021, Thailand had already decriminalized the production and use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes, reports Konbini. It now goes a step further by highlighting the beneficial aspects of the plant in the economic context of the country. Indeed, as of 2020, cannabis has registered as a major industry in Thailand.
What about recreational use?
Economic measures have promoted the marketing of the plant in different forms. According to the Minister of Health, the decriminalization of cannabis “responds to the urgent policy of the government to develop marijuana and hemp for medical and health purposes, but also to develop our technologies and create income for the public”.
Beyond the economic aspect, the recreational use of cannabis in Thailand still raises questions. A legal vagueness remains, even if the production and the possession are the subject of regulation, recalls Konbini. Indeed, while most of the plant has been removed from the list of controlled drugs, the seeds, buds and psychoactive parts are still considered illegal narcotics.
