Playtime's over: Thailand bans recreational cannabis

Thailand has introduced stricter regulations on cannabis, limiting its use to medical purposes only.

The government reclassified cannabis flowers as a controlled plant, imposed strict licensing requirements, and banned their sale in public places.

The Ministry of Public Health issued the new regulations following instructions from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at a recent Cabinet meeting.

This measure follows growing concerns about widespread cannabis abuse.

The recently announced decree strictly limits its use to medical applications.

The Ministry's announcement on controlled herbs (cannabis) 2025 was signed by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin and comes into force upon publication in the Official Gazette.

It repeals the 2022 ministerial decree which removed cannabis from the list of Category 5 narcotics under the Narcotics Act.

The new regulations on cannabis

A worker inspects cannabis leaves at Rak Jang Farm, one of the first farms licensed by the Thai government to grow cannabis and sell products to medical facilities, in Nakhon Ratchasima. Photo: Reuters.

The main elements of the new regulations are as follows:

Reclassification of cannabis parts

Under the new regulations, only the flowering parts of the cannabis plant are classified as controlled herbs.

Obligation to obtain a license

Individuals or organizations wishing to research, export, sell, or process cannabis flowers must obtain a license under Section 46 of the Thai Traditional Medicine Protection and Promotion Act.

Licensees are required to document the source, intended use and quantity stored, and must submit regular reports to the registrar using standardized formats.

Sales Restrictions

Cannabis flowers can only be sold between licensed entities and must come from sources certified to Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) by the Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine of Thailand.

Prohibition of sale

The sale or processing of cannabis for commercial purposes through vending machines or online platforms is strictly prohibited.

Advertising is also prohibited.

Additionally, the sale of cannabis is not permitted in places such as temples or places of worship, dormitories, public parks, zoos, and amusement parks.

Exemptions for medical use

Cannabis can be sold for medical purposes by:

• Practitioners practicing under the Medical Professions Act
• Practitioners of traditional Thai medicine
• Practitioners of Applied Traditional Thai Medicine
• Traditional healers licensed under the Thai Traditional Medicine Professions Act
• Practitioners of Chinese medicine

Prescriptions issued under this exemption must specify the quantity needed for treatment, with a maximum duration of use of 30 days.

It is not yet known whether penalties will be imposed on those caught in possession of cannabis without a medical license.

Regulation after anarchy

Anutin Charnvirakul on a cannabis farm when he was Minister of Health, now in opposition.

In 2022, Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis , leading to an explosion in recreational use.

In 2023, the Thai cannabis market generated more than 28 billion baht (739.25 million euros), with more than 6,000 sales outlets registered across the country, according to data from the Ministry of Health.

The decriminalization of cannabis was a flagship policy of the Bhumjaithai party and its leader Anutin Charnvirakul.

The regulatory shift comes as Bhumjaithai left the coalition following the disclosure of an audio recording of a private phone conversation between Cambodian Senate Speaker Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

See: Hun Sen betrayal sows discord in Thailand: coalition breaks up

With this new regulation, Thailand is trying to strike a balance between public health, domestic pressures and economic interests.

But for thousands of cannabis entrepreneurs, the shift could be abrupt.

See also:

Thailand: Medical certificate soon required for cannabis use

Free trips to Thailand: the trap of cannabis traffickers

Netflix star returns from Thailand trip with 40 kilos of cannabis

Thailand wants to regulate cannabis while keeping it legal

Many tourists arrested with cannabis after trips to Thailand

Thailand: Politics and Profits Block Cannabis Recriminalization

Thailand's cannabis market could lose 10 billion baht

Source: The Nation Thailand