Report Thailand to Require Medical Certificates for Cannabis Use Within 40 Days

[CygnusX1]

5 hours ago, simon43 said:

At my condo building in Jomtien, the outside balcony is unusable because of the pungent smell of cannabis, night and day.  The beach road (with families) also reeks of the stuff.  I for one, would be quite happy for it to be banned...

I have a condo in Jomtien, and I’ve never noticed this, either on my balcony or on beach road. I’m in Bangkok right now, and have never noticed any smell of cannabis, even while walking past the numerous cannabis shops on Sukhumvit road. I certainly notice the smell of cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust though, so there seems to be nothing too wrong with my sense of smell. Maybe there’s a genetic component here, with some people being way more sensitive than others.

[janetdoe]

Thailand: Hub of Medical Certificates. 

[Spock]

1 hour ago, StandardIssue said:

 

Unless people start approaching me and spitting beer in my face I say drink up! 

 

The thing is Pot smoke REEKS!  You can smell if from a 100 feet away and it is disgusting and pungent. It seems pot makes pot heads so apathetic and lazy they don't care about the comfort of other people. Seems they just want to get high and feel the way they want to feel without regard for others.

Hey, I used to smoke loads of the stuff. It did me NO GOOD whatever. Worthless drug that I ultimately quit because I started getting paranoid and nervous as hell after I smoked a bong hit or two of the CA sens bud.

 

I'm not into drugs or even getting drunk.

My personal choice. 

I don't need alcohol or drugs to feel OK. I feel fine and more present for life without it.

That's you not other people. Only newbees experience the type of reactions you describe. I have been using weed for 50 year, the last 10 vaping it. Basically I now just use it as a sleep aid and to wind down before bed. I get medical marijuana here in Australia. With the vaporizer, there is nothing in the way of an odour to offend the likes of yourself. I can't understand why Thailand makes the obtaining of a weed vaporizer so difficult. 

[janetdoe]

Thailand: Hub of Medical Certificates. 

[black tabby12345]

6 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

They're just stalling trying to figure out the best money making scheme for themselves. The horse has left the gate.

 

Another Salt & Fat tax lookalike in the name of better health.

When they prepare any "change", it often stands for their desire of Easy Billions.

[RSD1]

The only 2 salient points:

 

1 - Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s administration is proposing licensing mandates, though stopping short of an outright ban on recreational use, likely due to political pressure from Bhumjaithai. So the likelihood of any strict ban or penalties for recreational use still seems very low.

 

2 - Cannabis users or buyers must present medical certificates and prescriptions issued by certified medical professionals, including both traditional and general practitioners. Usage will be limited to specific medical conditions like epilepsy, insomnia, and chronic headaches.

 

So under the new framework, getting a valid medical certificate to continue using cannabis legally would just mean visiting any neighborhood clinic and paying (presumably no more than ฿500) for a medical certificate stating you suffer from chronic insomnia and headaches and require daily cannabis use. Done. Palava over.

 

To me, it sounds like another nothingburger. Just optics. The government wants to appear proactive against recreational use, but in practice, nothing really changes. Just a minor nuisance to get a one-time medical certificate, then back to business as usual.

[RSD1]

I can even envision situations where someone gets caught without having their medical certificate on them. In that case, there would likely be a grace period during which they could present a valid certificate to avoid any penalties. So if someone is caught using cannabis without documentation, they could simply visit a clinic, get the certificate retroactively, present it to the authorities, and have the penalty dismissed.

[ignore it]

5 minutes ago, janetdoe said:

Thailand: Hub of Medical Certificates. 

 

Yep,

Clinics are pre-ordering medical cannabis certificates and advertising signs awaiting implementation. 

[StandardIssue]

7 minutes ago, Spock said:

That's you not other people. Only newbees experience the type of reactions you describe. I have been using weed for 50 year, the last 10 vaping it. Basically I now just use it as a sleep aid and to wind down before bed. I get medical marijuana here in Australia. With the vaporizer, there is nothing in the way of an odour to offend the likes of yourself. I can't understand why Thailand makes the obtaining of a weed vaporizer so difficult. 

 

I smoked it for about 8 years and toward the end I developed a very adverse side effect when "high" ...total paranoia. The sticky bud that I was smoking was one or two hit bud. I didn't get a euphoria. It was straight up paranoia and evil hallucination. THC is not that well studied and it is a very blunt and unrefined psycho active chemical.

 

.. it really never did much for me to tell you the truth, I was just looking for a way to feel different.

 

Now I don't want it, don't need anything. I have been using spirituality as a design for living. Selflessness and helping others is at the core of my life principles now.

 

 

[Ebumbu]

Hello, here is my 2000 baht for my prescription. I stubbed my toe again. See you in 3 months. 

[Jingthing]

An interesting aspect is that this proposed BS plan won't ban recreational use.

Hope it doesn't happen it all, but that part is encouraging.

[diveasia666]

6 hours ago, PJ71 said:

You're obviously one of these people that has no idea about cannabis use.

 

Oh well...

 

Should we ban alcohol too?

havin' beers outside doesn't smell like sh*t (pun intended) Smoke stinks, whether from cigarettes or weed, simple as that.

[technoronin]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

And in return,I'd be more than happy for ham radio to be banned.

What's your problem with ham radio?  -.-. --.-

[Halnodeya]

Looks like I will be setting up a booth on Second Road selling personalised Medical Certificates using ChatGPT :)

[Hummin]

 

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

An interesting aspect is that this proposed BS plan won't ban recreational use.

Hope it doesn't happen it all, but that part is encouraging.

 

 

Just get it back to certain places and beaches where there used to be more liberal or outlaw zone. 

 

now it is just ridiculous and people smoking everywhere. Sittting beach side inside Centara, never experienced once the smell of weed, neither outside the entrance of Cicada marked where it is clearly marked smoking prohibited 4 potheads sharing a joint. 

 

So they have themselves to blaim what's happening now

[Wuvu2]

Agree that, out of consideration, folks shouldn't smoke outdoors or in public spaces. However, most condos are built well enough that what's done in one's bedroom stays in the bedroom. I'm particularly amused by cigarette smokers who claim they are "allergic" to the smell of weed and therefore claim it's a health risk. Nice try 🙄

[baansgr]

About time, does this mean it will be safe for me and my family to go out again

[Spock]

Can I safely assume that when I arrive on July 15 for a month that I will be able to buy as usual through any of the 8000 outlets? That if anything is likely to change, it's not going to happen that quickly?

[Ebumbu]

25 minutes ago, technoronin said:

What's your problem with ham radio?  -.-. --.-

 

It's non Halal. 

[CLW]

As many others said, it's just a proposal. 

How many proposals have never materialised and went down the drain.

I've lost count of it...

[Taboo2]

BFD!  

 

 

[simon43]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

And in return,I'd be more than happy for ham radio to be banned.

Lol, the operating  rules are so strict that it almost is.. 🙂

[simon43]

2 hours ago, JackGats said:

Indeed "I can't stand the smell" sounds less bigotted than "I can't stand people getting high".

I don't have an issue with people smoking inside their home or a private club.  It's the same as inhaling second-hand cigarette smoke.  Nasty smell...

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's Public Health Minister has announced a major regulation change requiring cannabis users to present medical certificates, aiming to curb recreational use. Minister Somsak Thepsutin revealed plans for the new rules, hoping to establish order after cannabis was decriminalised nearly three years ago

3 years ago and now they decide to curb recreational use.

[bkk6060]

Good luck.

[kwilco]

10 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

I could do without all the "lay abouts" and pot head tourists visiting Thailand.

could you - well I'm sure Thailand is keen to help you out on that....maybe they'll ask a few more bigots whilst they're at it?

[kwilco]

So  - you will issue these " medical certificates"?

[sstuff3]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

emerged as a policy driven by the Bhumjaithai Party, recognising its potential economic benefits. Yet, a surge in recreational use and cannabis-related businesses has prompted significant regulation review.

A surge in cannabis-related businesses seems to indicate the economic benefits materialized.... 🤔

 

[FriscoKid]

21 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

3 years ago and now they decide to curb recreational use.

After three years and nearly 10,000 weed shops popping up like magic mushrooms in a field of cow dung, are we really supposed to believe they’re suddenly going to crack down on recreational use? Please. This is pure political theatre, optics of the highest order and a bit of smoke and mirrors so the government can pretend it’s cleaning house without actually lifting a finger. The free-for-all will carry on exactly as it has, just now with an extra sprinkle of bureaucracy for show and a bit of extra dosh for the local medical practitioners to write out medical use scripts to foreigners with chronic headaches 24/7.

 

Picture it: hundreds of foreigners being dragged off every week for puffing a joint, while neon-lit dispensaries are slinging bags of “medical grade” to anyone who wants it like it’s a cannabis carnival. What are they going to say to CNN? “Come to Thailand: Land of Smiles and Surprise Drug Raids”? It would be a PR catastrophe.
 

Tourism’s already taken a nosedive thanks to higher travel costs, a big drop in value for money (compared to the beach resorts of Vietnam and the Philippines), and general safety concerns over travel to Thailand. Start arresting foreigners over something you’ve openly made legally available for the last 3 years, and you might as well roll out a new slogan: “Amazing Thailand: Now with Bonus Handcuffs!” - It would be the nail in the coffin for Thai tourism. 

[kwilco]

I think it's certain there have been financial benefits for Thailand - there are a lot of small businesses grown up and one or two resorts that cater for recreational tokers.  I can't see any negative results supported by any evidence. I can see the potential for a whole new industry in issue=ing medical certificates - the law in allows for recreational smoking at home etc so no laws broken there - 

Thailand introduced the liberalisation in a very un-researched and chaotic manner - and now are trying to 'adjust" it in an equally chaotic and un-researched manner - it's just a litany of goernment incompetence - however it will be hard for anyone to produce hard evidence of the negative affects of recreational smoking in Thailand. Remember it's been part of Thai culture for centuries.