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Three years after decriminalisation, Thailand is tightening control of cannabis by banning sales of the plant to those without prescriptions.
Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, a move that boosted Thailand’s tourism and farming industries and spawned thousands of shops.
But the country has faced public backlash over allegations that under-regulation has made the drug available to children and caused addiction.
Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin has signed an order that bans shops from selling cannabis to customers without a prescription. It also seeks to reclassify cannabis buds as a controlled herb.
The ruling Pheu Thai Party previously promised to criminalise the drug again, but faced strong resistance from its former partner in the coalition government, the Bhumjaithai Party, which supported the decriminalisation. Bhumjaithai quit the coalition last week over a leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.
Officials last month revealed that cannabis smuggling cases involving tourists had soared in recent months.
Phanurat Lukboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, said a study by his agency last year found the number of people addicted to cannabis had spiked significantly after it was decriminalised.
A government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsab said the Health Ministry had been ordered to tighten control on sales of cannabis because “many shops opened to sell cannabis both for recreational and medical purposes, allowing easy access for children and general people, which contradicts the government’s purpose to crack down on drugs.”
A group of cannabis advocates said the change in regulations was politically motivated.
The group said they will rally at the Health Ministry next month to oppose the change and the attempt to make it a criminal offence again to consume or sell cannabis.
