The health minister warns that by the year’s end, recreational cannabis usage will be banned in Thailand. In January, Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew signed a bill to change the current cannabis laws. By the end of the year, Srikaew now promises to outlaw recreational cannabis use permanently. Srikaew states, “Without the law to regulate cannabis, it will be misused,” alluding especially to recreational usage.

The minister emphasized that the ban is necessary to maintain public safety. “The misuse of cannabis has a negative impact on Thai children,” Srikaew states. A new draft bill has been proposed, which will see a ban of recreational cannabis in Thailand, allowing medical cannabis to be permitted with proper authorization.

The proposed law stipulates that recreational cannabis users may be fined up to 60,000 baht ($1,700). Additionally, individuals who sell cannabis for recreational purposes and engage in the promotion or advertising of cannabis products or smoking devices may be subject to a year in jail, a fine of up to 100,000 baht ($2,800), or both. Additionally, it increases the penalties for cultivating cannabis without a license, with fines of up to 300,000 baht ($8,000) and jail terms of one to three years. The minister also stated that permits will henceforth be needed for cannabis import, export, production, and commercial usage.

Thailand’s Recreational Cannabis To Be Banned By End Of Year

By the end of the year, cannabis use for recreational purposes will be outlawed in Thailand. In 2021, Thailand became the first nation in Southeast Asia to decriminalize cannabis; two years later, in 2022, it was made legal for recreational use.

The new government of Thailand is going to ban cannabis use for recreational purposes, only two years after it was legalized. This will have an impact on thousands of cannabis dispensaries in Thailand. According to the health minister, Thailand would keep permitting its usage for medicinal reasons, as per a Reuters interview.

Thailand’s health minister has announced that recreational cannabis use will be permanently banned by the end of the year. The move is aimed at maintaining public safety and preventing misuse of marijuana, which he states has a negative impact on Thai children. Medical cannabis will be permitted with proper authorization.