After being the first country in Asia to legalize medical cannabis in 2018, Thailand is now also the first in the region to decriminalize cannabis, allowing people to grow cannabis plants at home.
Thailand is now the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis, removing it from the narcotics list and allowing people to grow, possess, and use the plant at home.
However, contrary to expectations that this would mean a free pass for people to light up joints anywhere at any time, recreational use of cannabis is still strictly prohibited. Cannabis can only be grown and consumed for medical purposes. Thailand first legalized medical cannabis in 2018. The Thai government issued a warning to people who want to light up for pleasure that smoking cannabis in public "may" still be considered a nuisance, with a potential 3-month jail sentence and a fine of THB25,000 (US$780). Also, cannabis extracts, such as oil, remain prohibited if they contain more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
That being said, on June 10, one day after cannabis decriminalization, the government gave out one million cannabis seedlings in an effort to encourage people to grow “medical” cannabis, although this is limited to Thais only. All Thais have to do is register on a government website or app with their 13-digit ID number and date of birth and state that they are growing the plants for medical purposes. The website and app saw around 3.2 million visits in the first two days after cannabis was legalized, with close to 600,000 people registering. Those growing cannabis for industrial and commercial purposes must obtain licenses from the Thai Food and Drug Administration.
About 4,000 prisoners convicted of cannabis-related offences were also released.
Despite it no longer considered a narcotic, cannabis is still in a legal gray area as there is currently no legislation to control its use or trade. The Tobacco Control Act of 2017 will be used to ensure that marijuana is used by households for health and medical objectives rather than recreational purposes, according to Dr Kiattisak Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health. Cannabis extractions containing more than 0.2% THC by weight are still recognized as a narcotic and regulated under narcotic control and suppression regulations. Finished cannabis products transported into Thailand from other countries, whether in person or via mail, are subject to varied restrictions based on the product category (the two main categories are imported food products and cosmetics). A new draft law on cannabis control, the Cannabis and Hemp Act, is being debated in parliament.