Is Thailand’s love-hate relationship with legal cannabis coming to an end?

[webfact]

Cannabis has soared in popularity among Thais since being removed from the narcotics list two years ago and launched into an almost unregulated market. Estimates suggest the number of cannabis users in Thailand has rocketed 10 times to about 10 million – around one in seven people – since it became the first country in Asia to decriminalize the herb.

 

However, the “ganja good times” could soon be over, with the Pheu Thai-led government pushing for a ban on recreational use.

The dramatic U-turn comes amid complaints from non-users who want nothing to do with cannabis but say they are still being affected by its soaring popularity.

 

“I was sitting high up in a stadium at a concert but the cannabis smoke still reached me,” one music fan lamented recently. “When I took a toilet break, I also found smokers there.”

 

He wants authorities to do more to control marijuana use, pointing out that despite its well-publicized benefits, it is also associated with harmful effects. That’s why the plant was banned by law and placed on the narcotics list for decades before the Bhumjaithai Party fulfilled its key election policy to decriminalize the herb in 2022.

 

The initial law change, back in 2019, allowed cannabis to be used for medical purposes only. However, a lack of regulation has paved the way for marijuana to be sold widely as a recreational drug and also used as an ingredient in food, beverages, cosmetics, and more.

 

Cannabis was removed from the narcotics list in June 2022, but extracts containing more than 0.2% of its psychoactive component, THC, are still categorized as a Category 5 narcotic.

 

However, the regulations do not cover ganja in its raw form, so stalls and shops selling “weed” and its paraphernalia have mushroomed across the country and online.

 

Top: File photo

 

Full story: THai PBS 2024-02-15

 

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[ChaiyaTH]

Nothing will change

[Keep Right]

Stupid is as stupid does. There are lots of stupid people in Thailand willing to pay good money to become even more stupid. It is difficult to stop stupidity even with legislation.

[dingdongrb]

I was sitting in a coffee café located high up in the beautiful hills of Nan province and I could still smell the stink of burning trash and ground cover.

 

Oh well, when Thailand ban the burning of the fields and trash?

[JoseThailand]

Nothing's gonna change. They may save face making it technically illegal like prostitution, but in practice it's gonna be the same.

[Kevin Taylor]

I think the nay sayers are just complaining for the sake of it. I personally don't like karaoke, but I don't bang on about making it illegal. You don't like the smell or you don't like seeing shops selling cannabis, get over yourselves some people do and absolutely no one is forcing you to partake.

[Dcheech]

'Nothing Will change'

Maybe not but as online sourcing was mentioned,  I put in an order. Why not double bag it and toss in the back of the freezer box?! I might make a couple orders. It is always nice to have a big stash in the deep freeze for those dog days of the hot season. 

[daveAustin]

Some twit would get offended by fresh air and sooner have it banned! Why not have police do their job and police usage in public areas? 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Cannabis has soared in popularity among Thais since being removed from the narcotics list two years ago and launched into an almost unregulated market. Estimates suggest the number of cannabis users in Thailand has rocketed 10 times to about 10 million – around one in seven people – since it became the first country in Asia to decriminalize the herb.

Anutins gift to the people, 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

The initial law change, back in 2019, allowed cannabis to be used for medical purposes only. However, a lack of regulation has paved the way for marijuana to be sold widely as a recreational drug and also used as an ingredient in food, beverages, cosmetics, and more

Another vote buying scheme

[steven100]

>>>    the “ganja good times” could soon be over,

 

Let's hope so ......

 

It was such a bird brain stupid suggestion in the first place ....   their are 100's if not 1000's of nutters, loose cannons and the likes running around Thailand as it is without legalizing cannabis so it could be freely smoked and sold in shops.

 

young kids getting high ....  school student pot heads emerging ....  crime increase .....  village idiots getting high as kites ....   addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed. 

 

What were they even thinking !    absolutely no good would eventuate because of this decriminalization .....

 

it's not rocket science FGS ...

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15 by steven100

[2baht]

6 minutes ago, steven100 said:

>>>    the “ganja good times” could soon be over,

 

Let's hope so ......

 

It was such a bird brain stupid suggestion in the first place ....   their are 100's if not 1000's of nutters, loose cannons and the likes running around Thailand as it is without legalizing cannabis so it could be freely sold in shops.

 

What were they even thinking !    absolutely no good would eventuate because of this decriminalization .....

 

it's not rocket science FGS ...

 

 

Yes, I hope they see the light, ganja has Thailand on the brink of extinction! It could be a nasty end! I'm outa here! 🙄

[2baht]

17 minutes ago, steven100 said:

crime increase

Proof???

[2baht]

18 minutes ago, steven100 said:

addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed. 

Rubbish! You're a drama queen! Go fix yourself a G&T!

[ThaiFelix]

15 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Some twit would get offended by fresh air and sooner have it banned! Why not have police do their job and police usage in public areas? 

That of course would be entirely logical however we dont live in a country where logic has any meaning.

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, 2baht said:

Rubbish! You're a drama queen! Go fix yourself a G&T!

not rubbish ....    it's been reported several times over the past where the addicts have attacked mama or papa or grandma because they didn't give them money for their drugs.

[2baht]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

not rubbish ....    it's been reported several times over the past where the addicts have attacked mama or papa or grandma because they didn't give them money for their drugs.

Absolute rubbish! To buy gutter drugs....NOT ganja! Maybe you can give a few examples??? Is that attacked or murdered???

Edited February 16 by 2baht

[ThaiFelix]

25 minutes ago, steven100 said:

addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed. 

Bwahahahahaha, boy you really have been doing your research haha!  Most ignorant post for the year.  Show us one news article reporting that....just one!

[Denim]

17 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Nothing's gonna change. They may save face making it technically illegal like prostitution, but in practice it's gonna be the same.

 

Except that it will be like a blank cheque to any corrupt police out there , of whom there are many.

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

>>>    the “ganja good times” could soon be over,

 

Let's hope so ......

 

It was such a bird brain stupid suggestion in the first place ....   their are 100's if not 1000's of nutters, loose cannons and the likes running around Thailand as it is without legalizing cannabis so it could be freely smoked and sold in shops.

 

young kids getting high ....  school student pot heads emerging ....  crime increase .....  village idiots getting high as kites ....   addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed. 

 

What were they even thinking !    absolutely no good would eventuate because of this decriminalization .....

 

it's not rocket science FGS ...

 

 

 

 

It may not be rocket science but it seems to be very difficult for some people fo drag themselves out of the reefer madness hysteria.  Ihe examples you have given.....

 

"young kids getting high ....  school student pot heads emerging ....  crime increase .....  village idiots getting high as kites ....   addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed."

 

Have absolutely no basis in fact whatsoever,  

[steven100]

1 minute ago, Bday Prang said:

It may not be rocket science but it seems to be very difficult for some people fo drag themselves out of the reefer madness hysteria.  Ihe examples you have given.....

 

"young kids getting high ....  school student pot heads emerging ....  crime increase .....  village idiots getting high as kites ....   addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed."

 

Have absolutely no basis in fact whatsoever,  

 

kindly explain to me what benefit or good comes from letting everyone freely and openly get high smoking their cannabis everyday.   I know some who do everyday and they become lazy,  withdrawn,  don't want to work ....  in general.

 

What good is having young folk of today allowed to smoke cannabis everyday ?  young students,  addicts,  nutters already ,   village layabouts ...  what good could possibly come form allowing this stupid decision  ???

 

It's a recipe for disaster .....   and guess what happened '  .....        it was a disaster .. !

 

 

[Thingamabob]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

>>>    the “ganja good times” could soon be over,

 

Let's hope so ......

 

It was such a bird brain stupid suggestion in the first place ....   their are 100's if not 1000's of nutters, loose cannons and the likes running around Thailand as it is without legalizing cannabis so it could be freely smoked and sold in shops.

 

young kids getting high ....  school student pot heads emerging ....  crime increase .....  village idiots getting high as kites ....   addicts killing parents for more money to buy their weed. 

 

What were they even thinking !    absolutely no good would eventuate because of this decriminalization .....

 

it's not rocket science FGS ...

 

 

 

 

If you're serious, ie not joking, my advice would be get a life, and don't dictate to others how they should choose to lead their lives.

[steven100]

1 hour ago, ThaiFelix said:

Bwahahahahaha, boy you really have been doing your research haha!  Most ignorant post for the year.  Show us one news article reporting that....just one!

 

There are many more but I'm not wasting anymore time to show you facts .....

 

79-year-old grandma tragically murdered by her drug-crazed grandson in Chonburi

By

Aim Tanakorn

-

Friday, 21 October 2022, 17:02

------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------

20-year-old drug addict stabs grandmother to death in ...

Hindustan Times

https://www.hindustantimes.com › cities › chandigarh news

4 Aug 2020 — The incident took place on Monday when Nikhil Kumar, a drug addict, asked his grandmother, Bhuma Devi, for money to buy drugs but she refused, ..

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

If you're serious, ie not joking, my advice would be get a life, and don't dictate to others how they should choose to lead their lives.

Please explain how this can benefit society in any way  ?    

 

I've told you the negatives ...

now you tell me the positives hey '    ?  

[ThaiFelix]

18 minutes ago, steven100 said:

 

There are many more but I'm not wasting anymore time to show you facts .....

 

79-year-old grandma tragically murdered by her drug-crazed grandson in Chonburi

By

Aim Tanakorn

-

Friday, 21 October 2022, 17:02

------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------

20-year-old drug addict stabs grandmother to death in ...

Hindustan Times

https://www.hindustantimes.com › cities › chandigarh news

4 Aug 2020 — The incident took place on Monday when Nikhil Kumar, a drug addict, asked his grandmother, Bhuma Devi, for money to buy drugs but she refused, ..

Huh?  Are you high?  Theres not one mention of weed in your sources? lol!

[steven100]

18 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Please explain how this can benefit society in any way  ?    

 

I've told you the negatives ...

now you tell me the positives hey '    ?  

 

I am still waiting Thingamabob ....   

[ThaiFelix]

18 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Please explain how this can benefit society in any way  ?    

 

I've told you the negatives ...

now you tell me the positives hey '    ?  

I think he is say that if you got a life you would realise what you are saying is garbage, your sources might at least relate to your argument and you might also get to enjoy life!

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

Huh?  Are you high?  Theres not one mention of weed in your sources? lol!

oh I'm sorry ThaiFelix, so smoking their cannabis all day is fine. no problem. 

 

 

[ThaiFelix]

13 minutes ago, steven100 said:

oh I'm sorry ThaiFelix, so smoking their cannabis all day is fine. no problem. 

 

 

Stop deflecting and explain why your sources dont relate to weed.

[2baht]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

it was a disaster .. !

How so?