Analysis Weed Policy Backlash: Calls to Revamp Thai Cannabis Regulations

[webfact]

Weed Policy Backlash: Calls to Revamp Thai Cannabis Regulations

 

File Photo – Police stand guard as cannabis activists and entrepreneurs, holding cannabis plants, gather in front of Government House in Bangkok. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

 

Three years into Thailand’s cannabis legalisation journey, alarms are sounding from health experts and civil society groups about its impact on public health and the lack of robust regulations. A public forum, aptly named "Three Years of Cannabis Legalisation: What Has Thai Society Gained?", convened health groups and academics to scrutinise the effects of this policy shift.

 

Assoc Prof Rasmon Kalayasiri of the Centre for Addiction Studies pointed out that while cannabis offers medical advantages for conditions such as palliative care and chemotherapy-related nausea, the liberalisation has led to unintended issues.

 

She highlighted a worrying rise in recreational cannabis use, especially among young Thais, with usage among 18- to 19-year-olds surging from 0.9% in 2019 to 9.7% in 2022. Although usage slightly declined in the subsequent years, 2023 and 2024, levels are still much higher than before legalisation.

 

Adding to the woes, Assoc. Prof. Rasmon noted a rise in cannabis-related health problems, including cases of psychosis and cannabis intoxication, with healthcare costs linked to cannabis reaching over 15.8 billion baht in 2023.

 

Meanwhile, the number of cannabis shops shot up to nearly 18,000, outstripping regulatory control, leading to concerns about vendors flouting age verification and licensing laws in bustling tourist areas like Khao San Road.

 

Internationally, as noted by Watcharapong Poomchuen of the Substance Abuse Academic Foundation, countries are issuing advisories against consuming cannabis in Thailand due to its legal disparities with other jurisdictions.

 

He also mentioned warnings issued by Thai embassies abroad against carrying cannabis while travelling, with it still regarded as an illicit drug in many places.

 

Compounding the problem, a policy gap arose in 2022 when the Ministry of Public Health removed cannabis from the narcotics list without adequately controlling its recreational use, resulting in a rise in unregulated consumption.

 

Paisal Limsathit from Thammasat University explained that subsequent efforts to reclassify cannabis as a controlled herb failed to address all concerns.

 

In response, civil society networks have rallied over 20,000 signatures for a proposed cannabis control bill under parliamentary review.

 

The legislation aims to restrict cannabis usage to medical purposes, carefully regulate its distribution, and bolster scientific research, particularly to shield younger people from potential harm.

 

Asst Prof Niyada Kiattiying from Chulalongkorn University stressed the importance of a policy rooted in scientific evidence to effectively manage cannabis use in Thailand.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-06-17

 

 

[Gottfrid]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

A public forum, aptly named "Three Years of Cannabis Legalisation: What Has Thai Society Gained?"

Oh my God! They still don´t know the answer to that? The rich have gotten richer, and the poor have gotten poorer. Same as always! Now I am just waiting for the next stupid question from the academics of the land of smiles.

[seykota]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

a rise in cannabis-related health problems, including cases of psychosis and cannabis intoxication,

I've never thought of getting stoned as a health problem. Quite the opposite, actually.

[zyphodb]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

with healthcare costs linked to cannabis reaching over 15.8 billion baht in 2023.

 

Does anyone, anywhere believe this figure???

 Absolutely laughable...

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Three years into Thailand’s cannabis legalisation journey, alarms are sounding from health experts and civil society groups about its impact on public health and the lack of robust regulations.

Only three years.... Anutins legacy to Thailand.

[CLW]

The influential families and politicians have invested too much for a way back. 

They deal secretly to avoid any changes in the current cannabis laws.

Believe me, everything will stay as it is 

[kiwikeith]

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Oh my God! They still don´t know the answer to that? The rich have gotten richer, and the poor have gotten poorer. Same as always! Now I am just waiting for the next stupid question from the academics of the land of smiles.

Casino's 

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, seykota said:

I've never thought of getting stoned as a health problem. Quite the opposite, actually.

Because the cancers and brain damage have not kicked in yet.

[kiwikeith]

1 hour ago, zyphodb said:

 

Does anyone, anywhere believe this figure???

 Absolutely laughable...

Over 65 million people in Thailand 

Feasible 

[madone]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Although usage slightly declined in the subsequent years, 2023 and 2024, levels are still much higher than before legalisation.

 

well <deleted> duh.

[kiwikeith]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

The influential families and politicians have invested too much for a way back. 

They deal secretly to avoid any changes in the current cannabis laws.

Believe me, everything will stay as it is 

Turning children into drug addicts to make money and ruining Thailand 

More idiots riding bikes dangerously I have noticed a big increase, not to mention the increase in criminals in Phuket and Pattaya 

Next to really increase crime and poverty Casinos 

[Formaleins]

Jesus, it is like the bloody Forsyte Saga, it just never ends. Legal, illegal, legal this afternoon, banned tonight, legal again tomorrow, legal Friday but requires medical certificate - Illegal on Saturday. Legal again Sunday providing no buds are on the plant. You really could not make this up - the most frightening thing about all of the government policies here is that no one seems to know what they are doing, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing and worst of all these fools are governing (loose sense of the word) an entire country. Luckily, if their entire brain matter was dynamite it wouldn't manage a bang!

 

Unbelievable incompetent fools.

[Nickcage49]

Ah yes, reefer madness...

[RayOday]

My conspiracy theory of the week. The PM is a weak puppet that is failing on many fronts. The puppet master sees Anutin as a threat even if he is compliant. He is pushed out to a lesser role.

Now the issue of legalizing cannabis, which he championed and brought to fruition, is now a health hazard and an export concern. I call it more BS from the puppet master.

[dinsdale]

39 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

Turning children into drug addicts to make money and ruining Thailand 

More idiots riding bikes dangerously I have noticed a big increase, not to mention the increase in criminals in Phuket and Pattaya 

Next to really increase crime and poverty Casinos 

And you think this is down to dope do you?

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Adding to the woes, Assoc. Prof. Rasmon noted a rise in cannabis-related health problems, including cases of psychosis and cannabis intoxication, with healthcare costs linked to cannabis reaching over 15.8 billion baht in 2023.

Complete and utter BS. If this is accurate then the cost of health problems from pm2.5 must be in the trillions.

This is just more anti drug campaigning and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the same people here are the same ones that say keep prohibition hours and ban vapes. Wowsers.

[Quentin Zen]

100% weed instead of booze.  100% weed if mental issues.   100% not for kids.  50% not for kids under 26 (brain forming).  No driving on weed.  Probably more pros than cons, but I don't smoke.....put the energy into banning cigs.  hate the smell.

[BritManToo]

1bht of cannabis (2bht/g) replaces 3x 65bht beers.

That's gotta be hurting the beer producers.

[Cat Boy]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Only three years.... Anutins legacy to Thailand.

That and his remarks disparaging "dirty foreigners who don't shower" will be his enduring legacy 

[connda]

[Expat Tom]

Thailand has no fear of ever being accused of being a "libertarian" society. There are always

people here more than ready and willing to stick their noses into other's business. 

Every country and society needs laws and rules but liberty and freedom is also needed.

I have lived here as an expat for many years. I have owned several condos here but have sold all of my 

property and will never invest in anything that is non-fungible here again. 

 

Almost every time I visit ASEAN Now, I find more reason for leaving and less reasons for staying. 

My RFL (reasons for leaving) list grows and my exit plan take is taking its final form. 

[kiwikeith]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

And you think this is down to dope do you?

 

Complete and utter BS. If this is accurate then the cost of health problems from pm2.5 must be in the trillions.

This is just more anti drug campaigning and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the same people here are the same ones that say keep prohibition hours and ban vapes. Wowsers.

uncontrolled THC levels, dope can tern people crazy at high strength, I have a friend who has smoked all his life he's 78 and still going but has turned utterly crazy now and  his house is so filthy its unfit to live in , he used to be clean tidy and well presented now he sits at his table covered in roaches and is utterly off the planet.

[Look Chang]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

1bht of cannabis (2bht/g) replaces 3x 65bht beers.

That's gotta be hurting the beer producers.

No cannabis and I only drink beer when I'm short of wine . . .

[dinsdale]

1 minute ago, kiwikeith said:

uncontrolled THC levels, dope can tern people crazy at high strength, I have a friend who has smoked all his life he's 78 and still going but has turned utterly crazy now and  his house is so filthy its unfit to live in , he used to be clean tidy and well presented now he sits at his table covered in roaches and is utterly off the planet.

Mental illness. People who smoke dope and people that don't smoke dope suffer from this. Heavy dope smoking for some won't help. Having said this the above article is simply demonising something because of ideology alone. The whole 15.8 billion baht in a year is a complete crock of <deleted>e.

[norsurin]

2 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Jesus, it is like the bloody Forsyte Saga, it just never ends. Legal, illegal, legal this afternoon, banned tonight, legal again tomorrow, legal Friday but requires medical certificate - Illegal on Saturday. Legal again Sunday providing no buds are on the plant. You really could not make this up - the most frightening thing about all of the government policies here is that no one seems to know what they are doing, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing and worst of all these fools are governing (loose sense of the word) an entire country. Luckily, if their entire brain matter was dynamite it wouldn't manage a bang!

 

Unbelievable incompetent fools.

Because they're stoned i guess.

[GreasyFingers]

3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

brain damage

That may be a help to the rest of us that have to put up with the long term users. As long as it is terminal.

[ElephantEgo]

Lost me at "cannabis intoxication, with healthcare costs linked to cannabis reaching over 15.8 billion baht in 2023"

 

There's no such thing as cannabis intoxication because its non toxic... number of almost 16 billion baht is definitely fake news.

[RoryBreaker]