Last updated on August 28th, 2024 at 07:56 am
- Why It Matters: Reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic could drastically impact the medical and economic gains made in Thailandโs cannabis industry over the past two years.
- Driving The News: Thailandโs Narcotics Control Board voted to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule 5 narcotic, targeting high-THC products while allowing non-psychoactive parts like stems and seeds.
- What To Watch: Whether the reclassification will pass final approvals and how new regulations will impact Thailandโs burgeoning cannabis market, particularly for medical use.
BANGKOK, THAILAND โ The tide is turning against cannabis in Thailand as the countryโs Narcotics Control Board voted to reclassify cannabis and hemp as Schedule 5 narcotics, reversing a two-year decriminalization policy that had positioned Thailand as a pioneer in the region. The decision, reached in a meeting on July 5, targets cannabis flowers and extracts with more than 0.2% THC content, while non-psychoactive parts such as stems, roots, and seeds remain exempt from the classification.
The reclassification proposal is now set to be reviewed by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), with the potential for enforcement by January 1, 2025. DR. SURACHOKE TANGWIWAT, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, highlighted the boardโs consensus that cannabis offers significant medical and research benefits but maintained opposition to its recreational use. “The majority agreed to reclassify cannabis due to concerns over recreational abuse, despite acknowledging its medical potential,” SURACHOKE said.
Critics of the decision argue that it undermines the progress made in medical cannabis, which has been legally used for treating chronic pain, epilepsy, and other conditions since its initial decriminalization. According to a study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, medical cannabis has been shown to significantly reduce pain and improve quality of life for patients suffering from various ailments, proving to be a safer alternative to opioids.
While the proposal limits the classification to high-THC products, it opens the door for stricter controls that could stifle the growth of Thailandโs cannabis industry, which has already created thousands of jobs and generated significant economic activity. Concerns are also mounting over how the regulations will be enforced and whether they will discourage legal cannabis businesses, pushing them back into the shadows.
Additionally, some board members expressed worries about overregulation harming public access to medical cannabis. The debate has fueled public outcry, with many arguing that restricting cannabis use could push patients toward more harmful pharmaceutical options. Proponents of keeping cannabis legal cite data from the American Medical Association, which notes that countries with regulated cannabis systems have seen reduced opioid-related deaths and improvements in public health outcomes.
As the reclassification proposal moves forward, stakeholders from the medical, economic, and advocacy sectors are closely watching the governmentโs next steps. The impact of these changes could reshape the landscape of cannabis use in Thailand, affecting not just businesses but the many patients who rely on cannabis for relief.
Contributing Sources: Matichon.
