Thailand has warned dentists that pre-signing cannabis prescription forms without personally examining, diagnosing or treating a patient could lead to legal action and professional disciplinary consequences. Ploythalay Laksameesaengjan, the deputy government spokesperson, said dental practitioners must take particular care when prescribing cannabis as a controlled herb using Form Phor Thor 33. The warning is part of continued efforts to tighten control and monitoring of cannabis use under the Ministry of Public Health's 2025 notification on controlled herbs. Dentists must not sign forms in advance before an individual patient has been assessed and given a relevant healthcare service, she said. Practitioners found to have done so would face strict legal action. Four laws may apply According to Ploythalay, issuing a cannabis prescription without examining or diagnosing the patient could amount to dentistry below professional standards and may also breach professional ethics. She said the conduct could fall under four laws: the Protection and Promotion of Traditional Thai Medicine Wisdom Act, B.E. 2542 (1999), which covers cannabis flower as a controlled herb; the Narcotics Code, B.E. 2564 (2021), covering cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, classified as Category 5 narcotics; the Dental Profession Act, B.E. 2537 (1994); and the Health Facility Act, B.E. 2541 (1998). The Health Facility Act also sets requirements which must be followed, particularly under Section 34, the spokesperson said. "Issuing a controlled-herb prescription for cannabis using Form Phor Thor 33 without examining, diagnosing or providing a service to the patient on an individual basis may violate Clause 17 of the Dental Council's regulations on professional ethics," Ploythalay said. Under that provision, dentists must not deliberately issue false certificates or offer dishonest professional opinions. What foreign patients should expect The warning is directed at dental providers, rather than patients, but it is relevant to foreign residents and visitors seeking cannabis-related treatment in Thailand. They should expect an individual consultation, diagnosis and relevant dental healthcare service before a dentist issues a cannabis prescription form. Foreigners should also be cautious about relying on paperwork offered without a proper appointment or clinical assessment. The government has made clear that an advance-signed Form Phor Thor 33 does not meet the standard it expects from dental practitioners prescribing controlled cannabis. The statement does not specify penalties for individual patients. However, it makes clear that responsibility for issuing the prescription rests with the dentist and that authorities may assess whether the provider followed the required professional and health-facility rules. Picture courtesy of The Nation Join the discussion? 18 August 2026
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