Thailand’s cannabis sector faces threat from recreational use ban

[webfact]

 

The future of recreational cannabis use in Thailand is under siege, with the government set to roll out a ban by year-end while still permitting its medical use. Thodsapol Hongtong, a 31 year old influencer with his own cannabis shop and online platform, Channel Weed Thailand, enjoys the camaraderie and economic benefits of the booming cannabis sector, estimated to be worth 43 billion baht (US$ 1.2 billion) by next year, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

 

“We can lie around on the beach and enjoy a joint,” says Thodsapol, during a smoke break at the Green Party, a popular venue amongst Bangkok’s cannabis enthusiasts.

 

However, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew views the recreational use of cannabis as a misuse, harming children and potentially leading to other drug abuses. He aired these concerns in an interview last month.

Since its full decriminalisation in 2022, Thailand has witnessed a surge in recreational cannabis use and an emerging weed appreciation culture. This transformation is evident in the tens of thousands of shops, spas, bars, and gaming lounges displaying neon signs of cannabis leaf in various languages, showcasing a wide range of cannabis strains.

The tourism sector has also embraced the cannabis wave, with street shops in tourist hotspots selling smoking paraphernalia and cannabis-related festivals such as last year’s joint-rolling competition on the resort island of Phuket attracting global weed aficionados, reported Bangkok Post.

 

The government’s proposed law to ban recreational cannabis use will be up for cabinet approval later this month, putting the thriving cannabis culture and economy at risk.

 

In related news, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew enacted a proposed bill concerning the use of cannabis, underlining its restriction to medical applications only. After signing the bill, Cholnan clarified the bill.

 

“The newly proposed law will explicitly outline that cannabis can only be utilised for medical reasons. It will further promote the health benefits that cannabis can provide.”

 

by Mitch Connor 

Picture courtesy of Jeff W, Unsplash

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-18

 

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[flyingtlger]

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

The future of recreational cannabis use in Thailand is under siege, with the government set to roll out a ban by year-end while still permitting its medical use.

The entrepreneurs that had the foresight to get a license for medical marijuana as well as recreational use will rake in.

This will weed out (sorry for the pun) the illegal shops and street vendors but the cat's out of the bag. I don't think the government will ever be able to stop people from selling pot completely. It'll be like Tupperware parties.....

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The future of recreational cannabis use in Thailand is under siege, with the government set to roll out a ban by year-end while still permitting its medical use. Thodsapol Hongtong, a 31 year old influencer with his own cannabis shop and online platform, Channel Weed Thailand, enjoys the camaraderie and economic benefits of the booming cannabis sector, estimated to be worth 43 billion baht (US$ 1.2 billion) by next year, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

This will be watered down as Thailand needs the revenue.

[2baht]

So, before it was 'Legalized' it was nonexistent, right and after it is RE Criminalized it will just disappear off the face of the Earth again??? Right???

[2baht]

7 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

This will be watered down as Thailand needs the revenue.

Yes....just plain greedy!

[Pouatchee]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

However, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew views the recreational use of cannabis as a misuse, harming children and potentially leading to other drug abuses. He aired these concerns in an interview last month.

 

in canada there is an opioid epidemic and in thailand the problem is meth. i seriously doubt that weed caused these epidemics. usually weed smokers dont tend to climb the hard drug ladder being content with weed alone. the people who crave hard drugs usually have a tendency that weed doesnt satisfy. they usually start off as alcoholics, or prescribed meds, pain killers -- rather than start off on weed.

[BritManToo]

25 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

in canada there is an opioid epidemic and in thailand the problem is meth. i seriously doubt that weed caused these epidemics. usually weed smokers dont tend to climb the hard drug ladder being content with weed alone. the people who crave hard drugs usually have a tendency that weed doesnt satisfy. they usually start off as alcoholics, or prescribed meds, pain killers -- rather than start off on weed.

My misses came home last night and complained "all the prices are going up except for Yaba".

Apparently Yaba is now 20bht a tab.

[dinsdale]

I think plenty of people who want dope to stay legalized have to take some of the blame. Smoking dope at a concert? Not a good idea. Basically if you can't puff on a cig then don't puff on a joint. A minority of idiots once again making it bad for the majority. Walking down a street puffing a joint? No. On the beach where there are families around? No. Anywhere that people can object is not a good thing IMHO. Having said this my stance on drug legalization has been constant for decades. Legalize ALL drugs.

[Tazmo]

Cannabis has been around for centuries. It was used liberally in India. Some used it for sleeping, herbal therapy was prevalent also in Africa.

Indian farmers used it to get through working long laborious hours, every day. But no  Medical Records to show of any correlation with lung cancer!

Then of course sugar became what oil is today and the British in charge of Slaves on their West Indian plantation, had the experience of brewing beer. Many had owned chain pubs in the UK like Taylor-Walker, also had sugar plantations. So up grew the rum making industry.

And since then , the profits it brought to the UK, and corruption between the Industry and Governments, alcohol did not want cannabis in the market!

I am sure the Thai government is making money on cannabis, directly or indirectly. The increase in Tourism and the numbers that visit the cannabis shops regularly, so they get it through tourism.

My only concern is passive smoking. The beaches are filled with smokers, difficult to find a safe spot!

 

 I prefer  what they do in Holland, have separate places that sell it and you have to use it in named locations. It is more controlled that way, under age children cannot access, they have to produce their ID. Here tourists only need ID for a SIM card!

[smedly]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

The future of recreational cannabis use in Thailand is under siege, with the government set to roll out a ban by year-end while still permitting its medical use

not soon enough 

[Peabody]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew enacted a proposed bill concerning the use of cannabis,

What does this mean? How do you enact a proposed bill?

[Thingamabob]

Thailand showed a degree of maturity in easing the laws against the use of cannabis. The reasons being given for going back to the previous legislation are pious garbage. If sensibly but not over- controlled this is good business for Thais and for Thailand.

[ourmanflint]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

not soon enough 

Agreed. I don't mind it but it is completely out of hand now. Pot shops are as common as 7-11 some places

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

not soon enough 

Why? All in all it's a less harmful drug than alcohol and tabacco and methamphetamine is in a whole different league. All 4 are readily available and only one you need to go down the criminal road to get. 

Edited March 18 by dinsdale

[Trippy]

I think Thailand should ban alcohol and make recreational weed 100% legal.  It would make for a happier, healthier, less violent country. 

[FruitPudding]

Haha, excellent 👌 

[FruitPudding]

9 minutes ago, Trippy said:

I think Thailand should ban alcohol and make recreational weed 100% legal.

 

Ban booze, weed, and prostitution. 

 

Back to the fields! And respectable professions!

 

9 minutes ago, Trippy said:

It would make for a happier, healthier.....

 

Please.....

 

9 minutes ago, Trippy said:

...less violent country. 

 

I dunno, weed is a black drug and there is plenty of violence from them.

[Trippy]

5 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

I dunno, weed is a black drug and there is plenty of violence from them.

Putting weed in the same category as Heroin and Meth is just plain ignorant.

[Wrwest]

Not my circus, not my monkeys but 43 billion baht economic interests? TIT, money talks ... no body walks.

[Guderian]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

The newly proposed law will explicitly outline that cannabis can only be utilised for medical reasons. It will further promote the health benefits that cannabis can provide.

 

Health benefits = medical reasons.

Ergo, no need for any certificates, just self-certify that you get health benefits from weed and that's your medical reason for using it, lol.

[FruitPudding]

2 hours ago, Trippy said:

Putting weed in the same category as Heroin and Meth is just plain ignorant.

 

Where did I say that?

[MangoKorat]

All seems a little strange and contradictory to me - my understanding was that the so called 'Legalisation' only referred to 'Medicinal Use'. I don't ever remember anything stating that recreational use had been legalised.

 

Let's also not forget - the 0.2% THC limit in any case.  Even if recreational use was allowed - 0.2% wouldn't get a gnat high.

 

This cannabis 'decriminalisation' has been a load of tosh from Day 1 - constant flip flopping and contradictions.  Anybody who was stupid enough to invest in the business on the back of such an ambigous and unclear change in the law should have had their head's examined.

 

No sympathy for them really.

Edited March 18 by MangoKorat

[Deerculler]

10 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I think plenty of people who want dope to stay legalized have to take some of the blame. Smoking dope at a concert? Not a good idea. Basically if you can't puff on a cig then don't puff on a joint. A minority of idiots once again making it bad for the majority. Walking down a street puffing a joint? No. On the beach where there are families around? No. Anywhere that people can object is not a good thing IMHO. Having said this my stance on drug legalization has been constant for decades. Legalize ALL drugs.

After 25 years as a Corrections Officer. I am inclined to agree with you. But no politician has the balls to do that.

[Trippy]

53 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

All seems a little strange and contradictory to me - my understanding was that the so called 'Legalisation' only referred to 'Medicinal Use'. I don't ever remember anything stating that recreational use had been legalised.

 

Let's also not forget - the 0.2% THC limit in any case.  Even if recreational use was allowed - 0.2% wouldn't get a gnat high.

 

This cannabis 'decriminalisation' has been a load of tosh from Day 1 - constant flip flopping and contradictions.  Anybody who was stupid enough to invest in the business on the back of such an ambigous and unclear change in the law should have had their head's examined.

 

No sympathy for them really.

The 0.2% limit was for extracts. And the dispensaries in a good tourist location are making bank right now. 

[Dogmatix]

17 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

The entrepreneurs that had the foresight to get a license for medical marijuana as well as recreational use will rake in.

This will weed out (sorry for the pun) the illegal shops and street vendors but the cat's out of the bag. I don't think the government will ever be able to stop people from selling pot completely. It'll be like Tupperware parties.....

 

The government never managed to stop people selling it completely when it was completely illegal.  So after more than 2 years of legalization with widespread investment in growing and distribution. ...

[MangoKorat]

41 minutes ago, Trippy said:

The 0.2% limit was for extracts.

That's not my understanding.

[Bday Prang]

17 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

The entrepreneurs that had the foresight to get a license for medical marijuana as well as recreational use will rake in.

This will weed out (sorry for the pun) the illegal shops and street vendors but the cat's out of the bag. I don't think the government will ever be able to stop people from selling pot completely. It'll be like Tupperware parties.....

well they did a very poor job of stopping the sale of cannabis before it was decriminalised. I doubt they will have any more success next time round

[Dogmatix]

12 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I think plenty of people who want dope to stay legalized have to take some of the blame. Smoking dope at a concert? Not a good idea. Basically if you can't puff on a cig then don't puff on a joint. A minority of idiots once again making it bad for the majority. Walking down a street puffing a joint? No. On the beach where there are families around? No. Anywhere that people can object is not a good thing IMHO. Having said this my stance on drug legalization has been constant for decades. Legalize ALL drugs.

 

I agree the smoking at that concert should not have happened but the move to ban recreational use was planned long before that.  It was just used as a justification.  Without that they would have found something else.

[MangoKorat]

18 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

The entrepreneurs that had the foresight to get a license for medical marijuana as well as recreational use will rake in.

When was it ever licensed for recreational use?

[Bday Prang]

1 minute ago, MangoKorat said:

That's not my understanding.

Ah another of the "but but Anutin said brigade"     Your "understanding" is flawed you need to accept that,  If you require confirmation you only have to open your eyes, 1000's of shops selling and millions of people smoking cannabis all of which contains considerably more than 0.2% THC with no interference from the authorities whatsoever. It really isn't rocket science. But feel free to believe whatever you want no matter how ridiculous it make you look