Thailand Bans Sales of Cannabis E-Cigarettes

[webfact]

 

by Natthaphon Sangpolsit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The National Tobacco Products Control Committee has resolved to ban sales of electronic cigarette products containing cannabis extracts, along with traditional cigarettes and cigars containing cannabis.

 

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

 

Following the decision, a new guideline will be introduced in the form of ministerial regulations, while rules for e-cigarettes fall under the responsibility of the police and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.

 

Concerning the reported sales and consumption of cannabis by a primary school student in Lampang, the minister said the consumption of cannabis products among people under the age of 20 is strictly prohibited.

 

He reiterated the health ministry’s stance against recreational cannabis use, saying the draft cannabis and hemp bill proposed by the Bhumjaithai Party does not contain any clauses that explicitly permit recreational use.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-07-25

 

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[ukrules]

But e-cigarettes are already banned, aren't they?

????

Edited July 24, 2022 by ukrules

[ezzra]

Me think that many in the government start to wonder: What da hell we were thinking to had out and 'legalise' marijuana? can't sell them, can't smoke them, only left to use them in salad and soups...

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

But e-cigarettes are already banned, aren't they?

????

I thought so too, which really makes this a non event. 

[bamnutsak]

Cannabis vaping options (510 carts, disposables) require an extracted form of Cannabis, which is of course already illegal.

 

These extracts are in the ~ 85-90 % THC content range.

 

These are illegally imported here, from the U.S., but are a bit expensive for the average Thai. A 1 gram (gives ~ 150 - 300 'puffs') cart/disposable is ~ 2,600 baht, and they're relatively easy to suss out. The problem though is that there are fakes with potentially unhealthy contents.

 

So both the hardware (carts, batteries, disposables) and the contents are illegal.

 

Now it's down to enforcement, not always a strong suit here.

 

 

 

 

[stoner]

23 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

imported here

some quality vapes are being made locally. 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

But e-cigarettes are already banned, aren't they?

????

They are, but whether something is illegal or not has absolutely no relevance in Thailand. I've seen many videos of Thais at nightclubs in Bangkok vaping - interestingly, always women, never men. So banning cannabis e-cigarettes will be ignored in the same way that every law is ignored and rarely, if ever, enforced.

[fondue zoo]

The Thaiger article mentions that the ban also includes joints.

Fun while it lasted: New resolution to ban cannabis cigarettes

[Orinoco]

Just get yourself a small pipe.

like we did,  back in the day.

why complicate things. 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Orinoco

[Bkk Brian]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The National Tobacco Products Control Committee has resolved to ban sales of electronic cigarette products containing cannabis extracts, along with traditional cigarettes and cigars containing cannabis.

I'm not a cannabis user but from what I read, the most popular method to take it is smoking, so this will be a a setback for the recreational users that rolled spliffs with tobacco. Of course its also possible to smoke it without tobacco, a traditional joint does not need to have tobacco inside, bongs etc.

 

However below is the takeaway I'm getting from this law, recreational use remains illegal so the users are back to how they were previously. I totally agree by the way with medical use under doctors prescriptions/guidance.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He reiterated the health ministry’s stance against recreational cannabis use, saying the draft cannabis and hemp bill proposed by the Bhumjaithai Party does not contain any clauses that explicitly permit recreational use.

 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

However below is the takeaway I'm getting from this law, recreational use remains illegal so the users are back to how they were previously. I totally agree by the way with medical use under doctors prescriptions/guidance.

Exactly....

[bamnutsak]

4 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

However below is the takeaway

Your "takeway" is incorrect.

 

Recreational use is NOT illegal.

 

Current drafts of this act neither ban nor allow recreational use, implicitly or otherwise. By not mentioniong it, it would therefore remain legal.

 

That could change in the future, once the Cannabis Control Act passes Parliament and is Gazetted. And all the organizations tasked with creating rules and regulations could, essentially ban recreational use.

 

I feel like it's 50-50 right now. But I reserve the right to change my mind as frequently as necessary.

[Bday Prang]

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

They are, but whether something is illegal or not has absolutely no relevance in Thailand. I've seen many videos of Thais at nightclubs in Bangkok vaping - interestingly, always women, never men. So banning cannabis e-cigarettes will be ignored in the same way that every law is ignored and rarely, if ever, enforced.

 to say "every law " is stretching it a bit , but isn't it an  absolutely brilliant country

Edited July 25, 2022 by Bday Prang

[Ralf001]

6 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Cannabis vaping options (510 carts, disposables) require an extracted form of Cannabis

 

 

 

 

 

Dry Herb Pen perhaps for smoking some bud.

 

https://vaping360.com/best-vape-pens/dry-herb-pens/

[thaichina]

5 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

The Thaiger article mentions that the ban also includes joints.

Fun while it lasted: New resolution to ban cannabis cigarettes

The Thaiger has been wrong in every article they wrote about cannabis topic, and they keep being wrong every chance they have, spreading wrong informations on cannabis in Thailand.

 

[CLW]

Lol, welcome to reality, dear Goverment folks. Banned and illegal. That's a joke. The use of e-cigarettes with nicotine or cannabis liquid has increased dramatically. Yet officials deny everything. Same as prostitution me thinks....

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

Your "takeway" is incorrect.

 

Recreational use is NOT illegal.

 

Current drafts of this act neither ban nor allow recreational use, implicitly or otherwise. By not mentioniong it, it would therefore remain legal.

 

That could change in the future, once the Cannabis Control Act passes Parliament and is Gazetted. And all the organizations tasked with creating rules and regulations could, essentially ban recreational use.

 

I feel like it's 50-50 right now. But I reserve the right to change my mind as frequently as necessary.

Yea the current policy being:

 

"Importantly, it must be noted that smoking of cannabis in public is forbidden. The penalty for this is a potential three-month jail sentence and 25,000 Baht fine. The new cannabis policies permit production and consumption solely for medical or health-related reasons; not recreational purposes."

 

I personally think that the likelihood of the new actual laws which should have obviously been implemented before this whole saga, will head for an explicit ban on recreational use, especially in light that this is currently in draft and todays announcement from the doctors:

 

"Hundreds of doctors and alumni of the Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, have issued a statement demanding an immediate end to the recreational use of cannabis"

 

That said, I'll go along with you and reserve the right to change my mind as frequently as necessary.

[bamnutsak]

29 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Yea the current policy being:

 

"Importantly, it must be noted that smoking of cannabis in public is forbidden. The penalty for this is a potential three-month jail sentence and 25,000 Baht fine. The new cannabis policies permit production and consumption solely for medical or health-related reasons; not recreational purposes."

 

Can you provide an attribution for this quote?

 

Currently, as of today and since 9 June 2022, and until the CCA is Gazetted, assuming it stipulates the recreational use is forbidden, the current de facto policy is that recreational use is NOT illegal.

 

Yes, policies forbidding public consumption where the smoke is an annoyance for the general public, and use by "lactating women" and those under 20, have been Gazetted.

 

But maybe you know something that the rest of us do not?

 

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/no-not-even-thonglor-police-will-bust-anyone-for-weed-chief/

[Bkk Brian]

21 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

Can you provide an attribution for this quote?

 

Currently, as of today and since 9 June 2022, and until the CCA is Gazetted, assuming it stipulates the recreational use is forbidden, the current de facto policy is that recreational use is NOT illegal.

 

Yes, policies forbidding public consumption where the smoke is an annoyance for the general public, and use by "lactating women" and those under 20, have been Gazetted.

 

But maybe you know something that the rest of us do not?

 

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/no-not-even-thonglor-police-will-bust-anyone-for-weed-chief/

The attribute was in the post highlighted and underlined text, it links to here

 

"Importantly, it must be noted that smoking of cannabis in public is forbidden. The penalty for this is a potential three-month jail sentence and 25,000 Baht fine. The new cannabis policies permit production and consumption solely for medical or health-related reasons; not recreational purposes."

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2022/07/rules-and-regulations-concerning-cannabis-and-hemp-use-in-thailand/

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

 to say "every law " is stretching it a bit , but isn't it an  absolutely brilliant country

I'm certain that the comparative lawlessness, the lower standard that results from the lack of self discipline by locals and expats alike, is what some find attractive about Thailand. Certainly, it draws a different kind of person than, say Singapore or Malaysia.

[bamnutsak]

16 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

The attribute was in the post highlighted and underlined text, it links to here

Thanks.

 

That TAT article is incorrect.

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, bamnutsak said:

Thanks.

 

That TAT article is incorrect.

Yes of course  ????

[unblocktheplanet]

"He reiterated the health ministry’s stance against recreational cannabis use, saying the draft cannabis and hemp bill proposed by the Bhumjaithai Party does not contain any clauses that explicitly permit recreational use."

 

With some intelligence, the bill also does not explicitly prohibit such use. Thai zig-zag (not the rolling papers!)?