Thailand to Recriminalize Cannabis

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Facts

  • Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced on Wednesday that the country will outlaw cannabis, having been the first Asian country to decriminalize the drug two years ago.1
  • In a post on X, Srettha asked the country's health ministry to re-list the drug as a narcotic, with exceptions for medicinal use. Srettha's government had previously stated their intent to pass an anti-cannabis bill by the end of the year.2
  • Under the new policy cannabis will be a category five narcotic, making it illegal to possess and consume. The news comes the same week as the Thai Prime Minister gave 25 'red zone' provinces a 90-day deadline to tackle drug use.3
  • Srettha has said that he wants to see 'clear results' on drug crime nationwide, including a proposed change of the law to be more punitive for those possessing methamphetamine.4
  • One study estimated that Thailand's cannabis market would be worth $1.2B by 2025. Cannabis industry leaders have urged the government to reconsider their stance on the drug.4
  • Cannabis was first decriminalized for medicinal purposes in 2018 before recreational liberalization four years later. Smoking the drug in public remains de jure illegal, as is any product with more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol.5

Sources: 1Associated Press, 2reuters.com, 3Bloomberg, 4Bangkokpost and 5CNN.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by Pattaya Mail. Thailand's current drug panic is due to the government's failure to set up a proper regulatory regime rather than anything to do with the safety of cannabis itself. After opening thousands of businesses generating millions of dollars, shutting down the cannabis industry in Thailand is unlikely to end popular consumption, but will unnecessarily damage the country's economy.
  • Right narrative, as provided by Daily Caller. Thailand is facing a surge in drug-related crimes, and the rapid and uncontrolled spread of cannabis is certainly a part of the equation. Existing laws were openly flouted in a way that placed children and the vulnerable at risk. Keeping the drug medically available to those that need it while banning recreational use is necessary for the maintenance of civil society.

Predictions