Cannabis Shop Owners Plead with Government Over Drug Reclassification

[webfact]

Cannabis shop owners in Khon Kaen criticize the government for reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic. They question how they will be compensated after investing 10 million baht without seeing a return, despite following all regulations.

 

On July 9, a reporter visited K Cannabis shop in Khon Kaen to gather opinions after the Narcotics Control Board approved a draft announcement by the Ministry of Public Health reclassifying cannabis and hemp as narcotics, effective January 1, 2025.

 

Mr. Jetanipit Musiket, the owner of K Cannabis, said the government's decision to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic leaves businesses with little time to adapt and no clear plan for compensation.

 

He emphasized that the change negatively impacts businesses that have legally registered and followed all rules. He suggested that a possible solution is to classify cannabis as a controlled plant with clear regulations for business operations.

 

"Our shop has been affected since the Prime Minister's order to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic in May. We had to reduce production, and our nearly 10-million-baht investment in the shop and farm has not yet paid off.

 

Many other businesses across the country are in the same situation. This issue is political, but the impact falls on business owners and community enterprises.

 

Last week, the Thai Cannabis Network gathered to urge the government to reconsider and classify cannabis as a controlled plant, which seems the best solution.

 

Our shop sells various cannabis products to both Thai and foreign customers, many of whom disagree with reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic and prefer it to be a controlled plant," said Mr. Jetanipit, reported Daily News.

 

Meanwhile, Andrei, a 40-year-old Russian customer, expressed concern about the Thai law reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic.

 

He argued that the only issue with cannabis is the smell, and its negative impact is less severe than alcohol, cigarettes, and methamphetamine.

 

He noted that cannabis use is already regulated by zoning. Andrei, who has lived in Thailand for over 10 years and uses cannabis for relaxation, believes that with proper management, Thailand could lead in cannabis regulation and significantly boost its economy.

 

Picture courtesy: Daily News

 

-- 2024-07-10

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[JBChiangRai]

Anutin said himself in an interview before legalisation that recreational use was not allowed and they had other laws to tackle that.

 

Yet people opened their businesses entirely expecting to sell recreationally.  It would be madness to compensate anyone for making a bad faith decision.

[Gottfrid]

16 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Anutin said himself in an interview before legalisation that recreational use was not allowed and they had other laws to tackle that.

Ok, maybe he said that, but where are the laws you are referring to? Have the entrepreneurs in anyway broken existing laws, or have they followed the ones in place?

If they have broken them, then you are right and no compensation should be. If there are no laws in place for what you mention, then there should be compensation.

[JBChiangRai]

1 minute ago, Gottfrid said:

Ok, maybe he said that, but where are the laws you are referring to? Have the entrepreneurs in anyway broken existing laws, or have they followed the ones in place?

If they have broken them, then you are right and no compensation should be. If there are no laws in place for what you mention, then there should be compensation.

 

I don't agree.

 

Anutin said recreational use was not allowed.  If you start a business where your entire business plan is selling recreational then paying any compensation would be madness.

 

We can probably assume that those cannabis entrepreneurs looked at the law and saw there was nothing in place and took the risk.

 

The program with the law is it is a moving target.  Find a loophole and it's likely to be closed.

 

Good businessmen don't bet their livelihood on a loophole.  You don't reward people making those decisions.

[Gottfrid]

Are you joking? A loophole is not same as there is no laws in place. After that, it also means that Anutin was lying, or are you building business on what a single politician voice in the news?

It´s not like they are trying to close any loophole, as they aim to re-criminalize the drug.

[Tropicalevo]

 

44 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Anutin said recreational use was not allowed.

 

38 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Are you joking? A loophole is not same as there is no laws in place. After that, it also means that Anutin was lying, or are you building business on what a single politician voice in the news?

It´s not like they are trying to close any loophole, as they aim to re-criminalize the drug.

 

Cannabis was decriminalised.

There is a fine line between decriminalise and legalise.

 

Quote

Decriminalization is the act of removing any criminal sanctions against a certain drug, including its use or possession under a specified amount. A decriminalized drug is still illegal, but the punishment for it is much less harsh.

https://www.turnbridge.com/news-events/latest-articles/decriminalization-vs-legalization/

 

My understanding is that decriminalise means that one cannot be prosecuted in a criminal case for possessing cannabis.

It is still not legal to smoke it, sell buds or anything greater than .25 THC.

However, it means that someone has to get off their butt and and do something to prosecute a civil case.

Edited July 10 by Tropicalevo

[Tropicalevo]

40 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

After that, it also means that Anutin was lying, or are you building business on what a single politician voice in the news?

Anutin was the health minister at the time, speaking on behalf of the government and he was defining 'the rules'.

Which all of the cannabis fans ignored.

[JBChiangRai]

44 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Are you joking? A loophole is not same as there is no laws in place. After that, it also means that Anutin was lying, or are you building business on what a single politician voice in the news?

It´s not like they are trying to close any loophole, as they aim to re-criminalize the drug.

 

Anutin said recreational use is not permitted.  Growing/selling for recreational use was not a clever move and should not be compensated.

 

Shops are now describing themselves as medicinal dispensary's so clearly they agree and are happy to service that market, or are they being disingenuous?

[CharlieKo]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

Yet people opened their businesses entirely expecting to sell recreationally.  It would be madness to compensate anyone for making a bad faith decision.

These shop's had to apply for a license to be legally entitled to sell cannabis. So they followed the existing laws that followed decriminalisation of Cannabis products. So they should get compensation if the government re-criminalises cannabis. 

[stoner]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

We had to reduce production, and our nearly 10-million-baht investment in the shop and farm has not yet paid off.

 

grow better cannabis then. simples. 

[stoner]

13 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

or are they being disingenuous?

 

yes. they want to remain open. 

[Gottfrid]

50 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

Anutin said recreational use is not permitted.  Growing/selling for recreational use was not a clever move and should not be compensated.

 

Shops are now describing themselves as medicinal dispensary's so clearly they agree and are happy to service that market, or are they being disingenuous?

So, if a guy say something, then it becomes law in your eyes. Great! Thanks for letting me know.

[Gottfrid]

54 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Anutin was the health minister at the time, speaking on behalf of the government and he was defining 'the rules'.

Which all of the cannabis fans ignored.

Ok, sure, but he was only talking. Does it not have to be written as law and published in the Royal Gazette to come into effect? Doesn´t matter what he was saying and who he represent.

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Cannabis was decriminalised.

There is a fine line between decriminalise and legalise.

You know this is exactly why laws not work and actually can´t be implemented. If you decriminalize something, the below happens.

 

de·crim·in·al·ize

[diːˈkrɪmɪn(ə)lʌɪz]

verb

decriminalizing (present participle)

1. stop treating (something) as illegal or as a criminal offence:

   "a battle to decriminalize cannabis"
   
   After that, we follow the thread and take a look at the opposite to illegal. The result is:
   

   I think I say nothing further. The defence rests.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Ok, sure, but he was only talking. Does it not have to be written as law and published in the Royal Gazette to come into effect? Doesn´t matter what he was saying and who he represent.

Decriminalisation was in the Royal Gazette.

You are digging the hole deeper.

[redwood1]

4 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

Anutin said himself in an interview before legalisation that recreational use was not allowed and they had other laws to tackle that.

 

Yet people opened their businesses entirely expecting to sell recreationally.  It would be madness to compensate anyone for making a bad faith decision.

 

Weed shops should be paid a minimum of 1 million baht per shop if the government wants to close them....And I do mean every shop in Thailand.....If the government did not want weed shops they should have all been closed the first week they all opened...

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Cannabis shop owners in Khon Kaen criticize the government for reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic. They question how they will be compensated after investing 10 million baht without seeing a return, despite following all regulations.

From the outset recreational use was said to remain illegal, yet you opened your business solely for that purpose.

Bad investment.

[JBChiangRai]

52 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

 

Weed shops should be paid a minimum of 1 million baht per shop if the government wants to close them....And I do mean every shop in Thailand.....If the government did not want weed shops they should have all been closed the first week they all opened...

 

Nonsense, buyer beware and they were warned prior to opening.

[Spock]

5 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

I don't agree.

 

Anutin said recreational use was not allowed.  If you start a business where your entire business plan is selling recreational then paying any compensation would be madness.

 

We can probably assume that those cannabis entrepreneurs looked at the law and saw there was nothing in place and took the risk.

 

The program with the law is it is a moving target.  Find a loophole and it's likely to be closed.

 

Good businessmen don't bet their livelihood on a loophole.  You don't reward people making those decisions.

8000 dispensaries, many growers and the millions who registered to legally grow 20 plants at home were hardly responding to a loophole, and if it is to be seen as such, it's one that has allowed recreational use to flourish without interference from police or government. To suggest people were not showing good business practice in the circumstances is nonsense. They did what they were permitted to do under the legislation and no doubt believed that the situation would remain the same in the future. 

 

Then along came arch weed enemy Thaksin Shinawatra and the whole situation changes. He and Duterte made a great pair with their thousands of extra judicial killings of small time users and individuals who had enemies within the ranks of the constabulary.

[Spock]

4 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

Anutin said recreational use is not permitted.  Growing/selling for recreational use was not a clever move and should not be compensated.

 

Shops are now describing themselves as medicinal dispensary's so clearly they agree and are happy to service that market, or are they being disingenuous?

Happy to service a market with stalks, roots and leaves, after throwing away all the THC containing heads?! That'll make them millionaires overnight!!😁 What about the granting of the right to all citizens to grow 20 plants at home and register this so its legal? Do you think any of them were going to use the crop for medicinal purposes? The message from the government to the people was pretty clear at the time. Die in hell, Thaksin Shinawatra and cronies.

[spidermike007]

They have invested a fortune, likely some of them have put up their life savings to invest in a store, assuming that they could count on the government. Wow, I guess that was a pretty bizarre assumption, considering the goons that are running the place. 

 

Ganja hurts very few people and criminalizing it again benefits nobody but the police, this has nothing to do with health and safety. 

[Nickcage49]

This is such incredibly bad policy. To allow something and then a couple of years ago ban it.

[Snackbar]

Thought police

[madmitch]

35 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

They have invested a fortune, likely some of them have put up their life savings to invest in a store, assuming that they could count on the government. Wow, I guess that was a pretty bizarre assumption, considering the goons that are running the place. 

 

Ganja hurts very few people and criminalizing it again benefits nobody but the police, this has nothing to do with health and safety. 

Yes. Goverments in Thailand can't be relied upon for any sort of consistency but from what I've seen, many of the shops would be going out of business soon anyway due to the usual Thai way of opening too many similar shops in a small area, thereby reducing the maket share for all the players. I'm only in Thailand for a short period these days but most of these shops were practically devoid of customers. I have no idea how they made any money, given the rents they'd have to pay.

[Caldera]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

They question how they will be compensated

 

"Not at all", would be my guess!

 

This flip-flopping will cost some people dearly, and this kind of thing does nothing for investor confidence in general.

[ChipButty]

Way too many shops opened where I live, we will have load of empty shops again, 

[Robert Tyrrell]

Hello ,

 

Hire Legal Advocates and file a lawsuit against Thai Government to compensate Farmers and Shop ownerrs !!! And keep Cannibis Legal.

These shops and Framers should file Lawsuits against the government, One thing for sure the Thai Government is saying to these Framers and Shop Owners its unable to trust Thai Government to setup businesses that it wont trust them ever again the message appears clear these shops and Farmers should file a colaborative Lawsuit against the Thai Government for unesscary buisness Loss !!

[Matrosen]

Well, before you ever invest that amount of money into a dodgy business event, there should have been made a thorough risk assessment, that a drug can be classified as a drug, after someone declassified it from being a drug.

Edited July 10 by Matrosen

[Spock]

3 minutes ago, Matrosen said:

Well, before you ever invest that amount of money into a dodgy business event there should have been made a thorough risk estimation, that a drug can be classified as a drug.ä, after someone declassifying it from being a drug.

It's hardly a 'dodgy business event' when 8000 shops open along with numerous growers and a million people register the 20 plants allowed by law to grow at home. In any normal country, the government would not be flip flopping on such an important matter. Thailand unfortunately elects governments that measure up all too readily with the general apathy directed at politics and matters related to such. Always one step forward then two steps back in Thai politics. It doesn't help credibility when the prime minister isn't even popularly elected or some maggot like Thaksin can pull political strings even while supposedly confined to prison.

[Matrosen]

10 minutes ago, Matrosen said:

Well, before you ever invest that amount of money into a dodgy business event, there should have been made a thorough risk assessment, that a drug can be classified as a drug, after someone declassified it from being a drug.

It was just crazy to declassify something as dangerous as alcohol to society.