Move Forward-led govt’s policy on legalized cannabis – it’s complicated

[webfact]

 

The new coalition government being formed by the Move Forward Party is set to reshape – if not reverse – Thailand legalization of marijuana.

 

As soon as the new government takes office, it will relist marijuana as a narcotic, according to Dr Wayo Assawarungruang, who sits on Move Forward’s public-health working panel.

 

“The move will enable the strict control of marijuana affairs,” said Wayo, who was elected as a Move Forward party-list MP.

 

“But we will of course also issue regulations to temporarily protect the interests of marijuana-related businesses that have sprung into operation legally. We will give them time to adjust to the new landscape.”

 

Backpedalling?

 

Cannabis had been banned in Thailand for decades under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, before Bhumjaithai Party made legalization of the herb its core election policy four years ago.

 

Following the 2019 national vote, Bhumjaithai took control of the Public Health Ministry and began pushing for marijuana to be removed from the narcotics list. By the end of 2019, marijuana had been legalized for medical purposes.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/move-forward-led-govts-policy-on-legalized-cannabis-its-complicated/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-30

 

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[spidermike007]

This is a very bad decision. The war on drugs has failed miserably, and it is never a good idea to attempt to stop progress. Though they are on the right track with alot of their policies, this one is wrong. Bone headed, conservative, and on the wrong side of history. 

[connda]

They are going to make felons out of a large segment of the population overnight.

[jonclark]

Lets see what happens when the law suits start to pile up for the government as legal businesses are shut down.  And lets not forget MFP - like PT are part of the reason that the use of cannabis is so widespread - They never turned up to vote on the cannabis bill in early January - whcih has created this mess. And now they act like its someone elses fault. 

[kingstonkid]

5 hours ago, connda said:

They are going to make felons out of a large segment of the population overnight.

These people were already breaking the law.  The difference is that it was done quietly and just like prostituon, no one cared.

 

Police are more interested in extasy and yaba

[Mr Meeseeks]

Relisting it as a narcotic is madness. There must be tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Thais growing legally since June 2022.

As usual they will make a mess of anything they attempt to do with vague rules, absurd regulations and selective enforcement. 

 

[Vampyteuthis]

Lot of over reaction on this topic. If you read what Pita has said over the last year or two nobody will be going to jail. Shops with licences won't close, recreation use will be like prostitution.

 

Relisted cannabis as a narcotic is not the same as making all use illegal. Pita jas even said recreation use is in Thailand future but after it is regulated. 

 

I'm very pro cannabis, both medically and recreationally, and I'm not worried at all. Be patient my green friends ????????

[Tropicalevo]

11 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Relisting it as a narcotic is madness. There must be tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Thais growing legally since June 2022.

Let's look at this in a bit of detail.

The MFP have consistently said that legal (licensed) growers and retailers will not be affected.

It is legal for medicinal use only.

As Anutin said in a CNN interview

 

Quote

 

Speaking to CNN in an interview ahead of the move, Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he expected legal cannabis production to boost the economy but cautioned that recreational use of the drug remains illegal.

“It’s a no,” said Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister. “We still have regulations under the law that control the consumption, smoking or use of cannabis products in non-productive ways.”

 

 

[dinsdale]

17 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Let's look at this in a bit of detail.

The MFP have consistently said that legal (licensed) growers and retailers will not be affected.

It is legal for medicinal use only.

As Anutin said in a CNN interview

Thousands of shops selling high quality buds (tooooo expesive) are all breaking the law then?Buds are for puffing or making nice cookies or brownies. The medicinal side is still there but so is the recreational side.

[Bangel72]

It will be interesting to see how it plays out, its not clear why the relisting is favoured to regulation as I'm not sure there is a comparable listed equivalent.

 

Aside from the business and tourist impact I've not seen anything on how proposed changes could affect individuals.

 

I am like many others registered to grow and use it for minor ailments in the same way someone picking up otc sleeping pills or buying a can of redbull might do but this is natural grown at home. If something makes you happy its medicinal imo and if they need to then classify the difference will that go down the prescription path.  I asked one dispensary if they could give me a prescription, 500 baht for a month but only for their expensive 2k plus cbd oils.  

 

Putting this group of apparently a million registered growers for personal use to being criminals seems highly risky, even opening up the vape type bribes opportunity is a huge step backwards.

 

There's an argument due diligence was not to applied in unlisting, so surely they would not make the same mistake with a lack due diligence when it comes to the consideration of relisting, either way this is going to take some time to put the genie back in its bottle if that's the step backwards on the cards.

 

  

[h90]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Let's look at this in a bit of detail.

The MFP have consistently said that legal (licensed) growers and retailers will not be affected.

It is legal for medicinal use only.

As Anutin said in a CNN interview

 

 

If medical use and that with checks and doctors, than it is a -95%....no recreational use and most of the medical will be too expensive