Thailand moves to recriminalize cannabis, shaking $1-B industry
 

Thailand’s government is moving to recriminalize cannabis, plunging into limbo an industry estimated to be worth over $1 billion that has boomed since the substance was taken off the country’s narcotics list in 2022.

The push to impose new controls on recreational use of cannabis comes after the Bhumjaithai Party, which championed its legalisation, withdrew from the ruling coalition last week following Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s apparent mishandling of a border row with Cambodia.

Late on Tuesday, Thailand’s health ministry issued an order prohibiting the sale of cannabis for recreational use and making it mandatory for any retail purchase to require a doctor’s prescription.

The new rules will come into effect once they are published in the Royal Gazette, which could happen within days.

“Cannabis will be classified as a narcotic in the future,” Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said on Tuesday.

Three years ago, Thailand became one of the first countries in Asia to decriminalize the recreational use of cannabis, but without any comprehensive rules to govern the sector.

Since then, tens of thousands of shops and businesses selling cannabis have sprung up across Thailand, many of them located in the country’s tourism hubs.

Thai Chamber of Commerce previously estimated the industry, which includes medicinal products, could be worth $1.2 billion by 2025.

Unregulated access to cannabis has created serious social problems, particularly for children and young people, said government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub.

“The policy must return to its original goal of controlling cannabis for medical use only,” Jirayu said in a statement.

Source: https://www.rappler.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-recriminalize-cannabis/

Comprehension

What did Thailand do in 2022 regarding cannabis?
What is the new policy from the Thai health ministry?
Why did the Bhumjaithai Party leave the ruling coalition?
What will be required to buy cannabis under the new rules?
What is the expected value of the cannabis industry by 2025?
What kind of problems has unregulated cannabis use caused?
When will the new rules begin?
What does the government want cannabis use to be limited to?

Discussion

Do you think cannabis should be legal for recreational use? Why or why not?
What are the possible benefits of using cannabis for medical reasons?
Should governments control what kind of substances people can use?
What problems can happen if cannabis is not regulated?
How do you think this decision will affect businesses in Thailand?
Do you know of any other countries where cannabis is legal or illegal?
How can the government protect young people from harmful substances?
If a country makes something legal and then changes its mind, what problems might happen?
How important is it to have clear rules before allowing a new product in the market?
What is your opinion on using traditional or herbal medicines like cannabis?

Vocabulary

Recriminalize – to make something illegal again
Cannabis – a plant used for medical or recreational drugs (also known as marijuana)
Recreational use – using something for fun or relaxation, not for medical reasons
Prescription – written permission from a doctor to use a medicine
Narcotic – a drug that affects the mind and is often controlled by law
Decriminalize – to make something not a crime anymore
Unregulated – not controlled by laws or rules
Policy – a plan or rule made by the government or an organization