Ever since cannabis was legalized in Thailand back in 2022, you constantly see people having conniptions about the smell in public. Apparently entire childhoods are being ruined now because somebody caught a faint whiff of a joint while walking past a weed shop in Sukhumvit or Patong.

And yet after traveling around southern Europe for the last couple of months, I honestly came away thinking Thailand still looks fairly conservative by comparison.

The amount of public cannabis smoking I have seen across parts of Europe is absolutely everywhere, and not just in tourist areas. You smell it drifting through the streets, out of apartment windows, outside local bars, in parks, at outdoor cafés, on city benches, near beaches, and nobody anywhere even reacts to it.

People just carry on eating their paninis and drinking their coffee like nothing remotely unusual is happening.

Meanwhile in Thailand you would think somebody had detonated a chemical weapon in the food court because some bloke two streets away lit up a joint.

What I also noticed in Europe is that nobody seems particularly interested in policing every other person’s behaviour. Nobody is dramatically breathing through a napkin to show their disapproval. Nobody is clutching their pearls in public either. Nor is anybody posting online essays about “the decline of local society” because they smelled cannabis for twelve seconds while buying a muffin.

In some countries it is basically legal anyway. Cannabis clubs exist openly in a few European countries now, people smoke recreationally, and of course places like Amsterdam in Northern Europe do not even require explanation at this point because everyone already knows the deal.

That does not mean everybody loves the smell of it of course. Plenty of people probably dislike it. But there seems to be a much stronger tolerant attitude of “it is people's personal space and right to privacy so it is what it is” rather than behaving childishly like the entire social fabric is collapsing in real time.

Sometimes I wonder if part of the reaction in Thailand is not really about the smoke itself, but more the sudden visibility of it. Because objectively speaking, if you spend any amount of time in parts of Europe now, the smell of cannabis is so common it almost blends into the background alongside cigarettes, traffic fumes, and blokes drenched in mingy aftershave.

To hear some people talk in Thailand though, you would think civilization itself is hanging by a thread because somebody outside a beach bar mildly smelled of Gorilla Glue.

Edited May 23May 23 by BilllyGOAT

We live in a conservative, rural, very religious culture with a strong emphasis on respect and saving face.

I def agree that it should be kept far away from children, just like Johnny Walker is.

Simple test: Would you spliff up in Mississippi (assuming legality)? Because you basically live in Buddhist Mississippi.

And I would be in the top 5% of weed tolerant people posting here.

21 minutes ago, BilllyGOAT said:

That does not mean everybody loves the smell of it of course. Plenty of people probably dislike it.

Most people find the stink offensive.

Just now, novacova said:

Most people find the stink offensive.

same as cigarettes

4 minutes ago, novacova said:

Most people find the stink offensive.

Instead of focusing on pure conjecture, I looked up some data for the USA, where close to half the states now have legalized it for recreational use. Here are the general facts according to Google Gemini: In the United States, roughly 18% of the population actively dislikes or hates the smell of cannabis, 18% enjoys it, and 41% is completely indifferent.

That aside, probably more people dislike the smell of cigarette smoke than anything and wine isn't particularly pleasant smelling either.

12 minutes ago, Sully_ said:

same as cigarettes

Yes, the smell of cigarette smoke is awful, far worse than the smell of cannabis. But having said that, some of the worst smells I've ever encountered have been while walking through the streets of Bangkok. The open sewers, the smell of fermented fish or shrimp paste being used in street food cooking. And not to mention the piles of rotting garbage waiting to be picked up while sitting there in 40° heat. By comparison to all that, weed smoke is a breath of fresh air.

18 minutes ago, Sully_ said:

same as cigarettes

Or rubbish dumps...

45 minutes ago, BilllyGOAT said:

Ever since cannabis was legalized in Thailand back in 2022, you constantly see people having conniptions about the smell in public. Apparently entire childhoods are being ruined now because somebody caught a faint whiff of a joint while walking past a weed shop in Sukhumvit or Patong.

Exaggerate much? I've seen people cover their nose, but never once seen anyone have a conniption or even make a comment to the people who are smoking. This is the first I've heard of entire childhoods being ruined. If you could make your point without gross exaggerations, it would be so much more meaningful.

It has become a lot better now than it used to be after they legalised cannabis, with smaller amounts of THC allowed for medical purposes.

It is not as exposed everywhere as it used to be. Partly because business owners put up signs and asked smokers to do it elsewhere, and partly because the new regulations have brought more focus on the problem.

Personally, I have not seen much of it on my last trips, except when walking past a shop where they allow people to smoke. And that is fine. That is how it should be.

Not around the public, markets, restaurants, or beaches unless there are designated smoking areas.

If one in five hate it, that's a reasonable reason not to smoke it around them.

12 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

If one in five hate it, that's a reasonable reason not to smoke it around them.

It is about common ground and respect, not how much someone hates cannabis or not. I do not hate cannabis. I strongly dislike what some people bring with it.

Before, it was mostly used in certain places, away from the public eye and away from people who were not interested in it. It was available, and there was no stress, unless you were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Or to say it better: unless some people were too ignorant to understand basic respect for others.

As a Brit. I had to Google "conniption"

To me it is the same as idiots who don't put on headphones at the gym.

It's not your world, other people are using it too.

As Hummin implied, people with this lack of the awareness of each others are are a pain in the a and will probably br so in more ways than one.

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

As a Brit. I had to Google "conniption"

A common word in the US, and its definition tends to be practice by some on this forum.

Thanks Billy for introducing a new word to me, CONNIPTIONS, meaning a fit of rage or hysterics, mainly used in USA, probably a made-up 19th century word.

PS, are ALL words not made up somewhere by somebody.

3 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Thanks Billy for introducing a new word to me, CONNIPTIONS, meaning a fit of rage or hysterics, mainly used in USA, probably a made-up 19th century word.

PS, are ALL words not made up somewhere by somebody.

con usually denotes 'with' not sure about the Niptions..............

1 minute ago, Off Piste said:

con usually denotes 'with' not sure about the Niptions..............

And then there is contra............

2 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

And then there is contra............

which would imply without or against 'Niptions'.......!

I've hidden a few posts.

Let's not bring you-know-who (for Brits, no I don't mean Schwepps!) into this conversation

I haven’t heard anyone use the word conniption for at least 40 years.

I’m not sure that mild disgust and dirty looks rise to the level of a true conniption.

2 hours ago, BilllyGOAT said:

Yes, the smell of cigarette smoke is awful, far worse than the smell of cannabis.

In your opinion, right? Or is it a scientific fact engraved in stone?

etymonline

Conniption - Etymology, Origin & Meaning

"attack of hysteria," 1833, in conniption fit, American English, origin uncertain;… See origin and meaning of conniption.

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

As a Brit. I had to Google "conniption"

Just be thankful that you're relatively unsullied by the abomination of American English. We Canadians haven't been so lucky! Thankfully, "y'all" hasn't yet taken root in Canada. 😳😆

Waddya mean, we Canadians have conniptions, too, esp about America!

I hate the smell of incense smoke, so what? There are a lots of pervasive smells but smoke of all kinds is the worst. It gets into everything! Burning plastic bags when it's cold, burning rubbish, car smog, diesel smoke, all these are daily life far more than cannabis smoke or even cigarettes.

My parents used to accuse us kids of conniptions anytime our nose was out of joint about something. Mom would get her nose bent out of shape if she saw a tantrum coming on. Circling back to the topic...my dad did find some weed stashed in my room one time, and boy did he have a cow.

Not every one want to get high. If they want to let them smoke it in their home.

In my view, the hierarchy of bad smells in Thailand is:

1. Durian

2. Indian tourists

3. Tobacco smoke

4. Weed

But only the last two make your clothes stink after visiting a bar or restaurant, so they have the worst long term impact.

Last year, I had to move condos in Jomtien because just about veryone else in that condo building (mostly Russians and Ukrainians) smoked cannabis and the smell drifted up to my 7th floor condo. Impossible to sit outside on the balcony....

Edited May 23May 23 by simon43

8 hours ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Exaggerate much? I've seen people cover their nose, but never once seen anyone have a conniption or even make a comment to the people who are smoking. This is the first I've heard of entire childhoods being ruined. If you could make your point without gross exaggerations, it would be so much more meaningful.

There was a thread about few weeks ago. A thai guy got into a fight on the beach with a foreigner over him smoking.

9 hours ago, BilllyGOAT said:

Ever since cannabis was legalized in Thailand back in 2022, you constantly see people having conniptions about the smell in public. Apparently entire childhoods are being ruined now because somebody caught a faint whiff of a joint while walking past a weed shop in Sukhumvit or Patong.

Weed is an extremely strong smell and can be smelt all over Patong , its horrible to having to inhale it all day .

Its like smoking a joint , not to mentiuon having to see all the stoners zonked out in shops