The cannabis debate continues, but can Thailand control it?

[webfact]

file photo

 

OPINION | by Michael Bridge

The supposed legalization of cannabis announced by the Thai government has been widely reported around the world.

To be honest, so far it seems to have been a great PR exercise for the country and in particular for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

They now expect the return of the swinging 60’s, with hordes of tourists used to eating cookies in Amsterdam or across California, now heading to the true Land of the Smiles!!!

In addition, the medical benefits are also well documented, so this will be a boost for Thailand’s alternative medical tourism as well. Now that has to be a good move.

Clinics are adding this service alongside facelifts and beauty treatments and are also offering mail-order services as well.

Laws changing

For a long time, Thailand held the reputation of having some of the harshest laws on cannabis. 

That, however, has started to change since the news and development of legal CBD started to trend in the country. 

If you are living in Thailand, then chances are you might have seen local restaurants and food outlets selling cannabis-infused beverages and edibles pop up in the last year or so.

This has primarily got to do with the Thai Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), and the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has taken strides to deregulate cannabis and hemp plants.

I know several friends here in Thailand who have also taken a medical and are now registered officially to take Cannabis oils for their issues at hospitals and clinics.

They are given a signed document which they can show to Thai authorities if they are stopped.

All this is great news for those people who now rely on cannabis to get better, or at least to feel human again.

Problems ahead

The problems though have just started as the whole issue of making cannabis legal opens up a can of worms.

With very professional online websites now allowing us to order everything from oil to ready-made joints, where does that leave the end user?

Customs response

 

The customs department of Thailand held a press conference in the wake of the liberalization on marijuana and hemp products recently.
 
They wanted to put the record straight for producers and users of weed on how customs are treating the issue.
 
The strongest message from their spokesperson was that importers must conform to all requirements that will be followed to the letter.
 
Smuggling and misrepresenting goods are serious offenses that can carry ten-year custodial sentences. 
 
They pointedly warned casual users from taking the drug out of Thailand.
 
Customs wouldn't do anything in Thailand but the importation of the drug into other countries remains illegal with some cases facing the death penalty.

 

Already one tourist who flew to Bali from Bangkok recently with a small amount of weed in his luggage was arrested on arrival.

 

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Further down the line the tobacco cartels will start introducing their own brands of pot cigarettes and e-cigs in the near future.

 

Several major manufacturers have already copyrighted names like Cannabis, Reefer, and Happy Cigarettes.

 

One day with their immense financial and political muscle, these corporations will make it become legal to sell these cigarettes over the counter. 

 

Meanwhile, the Thai government needs to act quickly to explain what can and cannot be done with Cannabis within Thailand before it gets out of hand.

 

If we go into the local garden centre and buy a young cannabis plant to grow at home, is this legal?

 

Can we smoke the cannabis grown if it is for personal use?

 

What happens if we have friends around for dinner and after a beer or a glass of wine, we offer them a joint. Does that mean we are seen as a mini dealer?

 

Online to your doorstep

 

You can already order a variety of items online from CBD oils to cannabis cornflakes, soap, tea bags even cannabis popcorn all delivered to your doorstep if you live in Thailand.

 

But then sending them overseas to friends and family is not recommended.

 

Sure, regulated manufacturers here will sign contracts with medically approved outfits overseas.

 

So at the moment that is likely to be the only way Grandad in Detroit or Manchester will be able to use to help them sleep at night.

 

What happens outside Thailand is a huge different issue and could take years to be resolved.

 

 

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[starky]

Hope not. ????????????????????????????

Truth be told but this has nothing to do with any concern for the community or health issues as much as the rabid anti pot mob on here would like to pretend. This is all about, like everything else in Thailand, reigning it in long enough so a monopoly can be constructed to put all the wealth and power in the hands of one or 2 Thai families.

  They don't like everyone earning. Maybe a couple baht but certainly not the lions share.

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

The question was, Can Thailand Control Cannibis ? Short answer NO !!

When you consider they cannot control young children riding Motorbikes, Blatant scamming by Thais on anyone else, Endorse Dual pricing, Have one of the most CORRUPT Police Forces I have ever known with almost ZERO accountability, then in reality that question is as stupid as it sounds.

Thailand has NO CHANCE of controlling it. Many people were given TWO plants, in a village near to me I know of one family who offered to grow their neighbours plants, now we have a CANNIBIS Farm, all legal. Control, the genie has been let out of the bottle, recorking that genie will not happen.

[DUNROAMIN]

Pandoras box has opened, fools rush in, in the long run will it be a good thing for Thailand, I dont think so.

[Plus Esse Quam Simultatur]

They let the cat out of the sack. Now they will never catch it again.

[2baht]

They'll stumble their way along in the dark and eventually the pieces will fall into place, it seems to work for them in most things! No need to think too mut!

 

 

[spidermike007]

This is not a real debate at all. What they should be debating is the horrible consequences of drunk during and domestic abuse from drunkenness. That is the real issue. 

 

How many people end up wiped out on the road from being a bit too high? Not many. How many people who are high cause horrific accidents? Not many. 

[wombat]

er...no...wrong.

It hasn't been widely reported world wide it has been widely suppressed world wide.

The lack of media attention world wide on such a huge social change has been conspicuous by its absence ..

Just like the success Portugal has had  proving all the experts wrong.

 

[thailand49]

The road the only reason it happened is for the all mighty $$$$$$, the crowed road and constant fight will people kicking for their cut.  

I have no doubt it helps those who are sick,  but I never knew so many were sick like handicap stickers for parking everyone has one the longest line is the one for the weed.  

I had to make a quick stop to BKK,  outside the Nana Hotel they had a weed kiosk 

What next weed and coffee at Amazon? ????

[SiSePuede419]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

So at the moment that is likely to be the only way Grandad in Detroit or Manchester will be able to use to help them sleep at night.

You assumed everywhere is as backwards as the UK 

 

No, Detroit is in Michigan and they've had legal cannabis since 2008. ????

[Gecko123]

People are just waiting for the law to be clarified.

 

I think people who are arguing "the cat's out of the bag" and that the open sale and usage of cannabis for recreational purposes is here to stay are kidding themselves. A major walk back is in the works.

 

I think cannabis tourism is an absolute abomination. Anyone promoting this idea has put financial gain and self-interest ahead of the interests of Thai society as a whole.

 

I know these are unpopular opinions on this forum, but I'm entitled to voice them. And furthermore, I think these views are in line with a sizeable majority of the Thai people.

 

[daveAustin]

Quote

The cannabis debate continues, but can Thailand control it?

No, it cannot control the debate; there will always be narcissistic, self-centred elements of society that want to stop people from doing something. The best way forward is to 'zone' them out and keep moving along. 

[Noah K]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

What happens if we have friends around for dinner and after a beer or a glass of wine, we offer them a joint. Does that mean we are seen as a mini dealer?

Serious? What kind of ridiculous statement is this? We offered our friends a glass of beer or wine, does that makes us a bar? In order to be a dealer and stay in business, you have to charge money and make a profit, or face the fact you have a lousy business model. 

[isanviking]

No way they can stop this now. There is so much cannabis out there now ???? 

[starky]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

This is not a real debate at all. What they should be debating is the horrible consequences of drunk during and domestic abuse from drunkenness. That is the real issue. 

 

How many people end up wiped out on the road from being a bit too high? Not many. How many people who are high cause horrific accidents? Not many. 

The anti pot brigade have no interest in discussing the effects of alcohol or tobacco (mostly because that's their drug of choice) anyone with any sense already knows the toll. The anti pot brigade just want to drum up reefer madness tales and discuss things of which they have very little experience.

[shackleton]

I think this is going to end badly

People are still not sure what you can do legally with cannabis 

Smoke it in your accommodation  or outside grow it ???? 

Money is going  to be made by those involved in corruption ????

 

 

 

[Snig27]

1 hour ago, Gecko123 said:

People are just waiting for the law to be clarified.

 

I think people who are arguing "the cat's out of the bag" and that the open sale and usage of cannabis for recreational purposes is here to stay are kidding themselves. A major walk back is in the works.

 

I think cannabis tourism is an absolute abomination. Anyone promoting this idea has put financial gain and self-interest ahead of the interests of Thai society as a whole.

 

I know these are unpopular opinions on this forum, but I'm entitled to voice them. And furthermore, I think these views are in line with a sizeable majority of the Thai people.

 

The committee overseeing this has already said there will be no major walk back. You are entitled to your opinion of course but I just find it disturbing that some people, tossing around questionable pieces of data, consider it fine to recriminalise literally millions of Thais who smoke this stuff and have done so before it was decriminalised (as anyone walking around with their eyes open knew) thus potentially destroying their lives, whilst they sip self-righteously on their Chang. 

[Tony125]

UPI News

High-potency marijuana linked to higher risk of addiction, mental health problems

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/high-potency-marijuana-linked-to-higher-risk-of-addiction-mental-health-problems/ar-AAZZz6J?cvid=e3f94dfcdef44774a2911b5dde7314cc

[LukKrueng]

1 hour ago, isanviking said:

No way they can stop this now. There is so much cannabis out there now ???? 

I really hope you're right, but don't forget it was legal before it became illegal...

[Snig27]

1 hour ago, shackleton said:

I think this is going to end badly

People are still not sure what you can do legally with cannabis 

Smoke it in your accommodation  or outside grow it ???? 

Money is going  to be made by those involved in corruption ????

 

 

 

Bangkok has dozens, maybe hundreds, of outlets openly vending and vending responsibly in the streets. I’d imagine many of those have carefully examined the law professionally and certainly the cops don’t seem too concerned. 

 

What’s will happen? To date there have been no noted issues and the MOPH said hospitals have seen negligible impact after a handful of people got too stoned in the first couple of weeks - not a terminal condition or anywhere close to it - so once the self righteous have calmed down it will just be part of society. A fairly harmless norm that won’t see god knows how many lives destroyed by the jail system.

[Snig27]

11 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

UPI News

High-potency marijuana linked to higher risk of addiction, mental health problems

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/high-potency-marijuana-linked-to-higher-risk-of-addiction-mental-health-problems/ar-AAZZz6J?cvid=e3f94dfcdef44774a2911b5dde7314cc

 

It is not physically addictive, it can be mentally addictive, much like coffee or video games.

 

Enjoy your Chang. 

[Tony125]

7 minutes ago, Snig27 said:

Enjoy your Chang. 

Never drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes/weed or taken any drugs like cocaine/crack. As my cousins used to say "he's just high on life" .Always was an athlete and didn't want to take anything to affect my performance or mess up my body.   I don't care what others do just posting the article showing data on adverse effects on growing brains/children.   Adults not affected as much.

[JimboB4]

LMAO, not really a “debate” anymore the laws are already passed. 
 

“Meanwhile, the Thai government needs to act quickly to explain what can and cannot be done with Cannabis within Thailand before it gets out of hand.” THEY ALREADY HAVE LAWS ARE PASSSD. 

 

If we go into the local garden centre and buy a young cannabis plant to grow at home, is this legal? YES EVERYONE HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. 

 

Can we smoke the cannabis grown if it is for personal use? OBVIOUSLY YES YOU CAN NOW ORDER ANY THC PRODUCT ONLINE. 
 

I hope they will eventually have vape available as well. I’m going to see when I buy more next week. 

[stoner]

2 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I think these views are in line with a sizeable majority of the Thai people.

debatable.

[stoner]

6 minutes ago, JimboB4 said:

I hope they will eventually have vape available as well. I’m going to see when I buy more next week. 

high quality reasonably priced vapes are already available in thailand. 

[JimboB4]

34 minutes ago, Snig27 said:

 

It is not physically addictive, it can be mentally addictive, much like coffee or video games.

 

Enjoy your Chang. 

Not even like that at all 

[herfiehandbag]

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

You assumed everywhere is as backwards as the UK 

 

No, Detroit is in Michigan and they've had legal cannabis since 2008. ????

Grandad in Manchester sleeps like a baby after a couple of pints of to Boddingtons...

[KannikaP]

48 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

Never drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes/weed or taken any drugs like cocaine/crack. As my cousins used to say "he's just high on life" .Always was an athlete and didn't want to take anything to affect my performance or mess up my body.

Link to your cousins please.  555

[Gecko123]

37 minutes ago, stoner said:

debatable.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017839

[starky]

2 hours ago, shackleton said:

I think this is going to end badly

People are still not sure what you can do legally with cannabis 

Smoke it in your accommodation  or outside grow it ???? 

Money is going  to be made by those involved in corruption ????

 

 

 

Yes totally unlike when it was illegal ????????????????????