itvx news – Tuesday 24 June 2025
Cannabis activists and entrepreneurs, hold cannabis plant as they march to Government House in Bangkok, Thailand in 2024.Credit: AP
Thailand is moving to pass new legislation banning cannabis for recreational use in a major reversal, three years after the country became the first in Asia to decriminalise the drug, local media reports.
On Tuesday, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said he had signed an announcement limiting cannabis to medical use only, Bangkok news site Khaosod confirmed.
Under the changes, people wishing to purchase cannabis must have a doctor’s prescription and a medical certificate indicating their illness.
Operators selling the drug will need to have a doctor present at the shop to renew or apply for a license to sell.
Somsak also said that in the future, cannabis will return to being considered a narcotic.
It is not clear when the regulation will take effect or when it will be re-listed.
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Is cannabis legal in Thailand?
Medical marijuana has been legal in Thailand since 2018, but decriminalisation in 2022 took things a step further, making it no longer a crime to grow and trade marijuana and hemp products, or to use any parts of the plant to treat illnesses.
It was a rarity in the region where many countries give long jail terms and even death sentences for people convicted of marijuana possession, consumption or trafficking.
Smoking marijuana in public remained illegal even under the relaxed laws.
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What happened when cannabis was decriminalised?
The relaxed laws saw a lucrative cannabis industry catering to locals and foreigners alike boom across the Southeast Asian nation, with thousands of cannabis dispensaries sprouting up across Thailand, as well as other cannabis-themed businesses like weed cafes and hemp spas, and beauty treatment.
Cities like Chiang Mai and the capital Bangkok have even held weed festivals, and decriminalisation has been a major draw for tourists.
Pro-legislation advocates have argued that the cannabis boom across Thailand has helped many Thais, from farmers to small business owners and workers behind the counter.
Critics say the decriminalisation was rushed through, causing confusion about the regulations.
Last year, a new conservative government vowed to tighten the rules around the drug after a string of alleged smuggling cases involving tourists.
Hundreds of British citizens are currently detained across the world, accused of narcotics smuggling offences.
Prisoners Abroad – a charity assisting Britons who are arrested and detained overseas – told ITV News it is currently supporting 431 people around the globe who are facing drugs charges.
This includes 22 people in Thailand.
Source: https://www.itv.com/news/2025-06-24/thailand-to-ban-recreational-cannabis-three-years-after-decriminalisation