Dr. Tewanchai Urges Cannabis Bill to Cabinet Before July, Reiterates Absolute Ban on Recreational Use
Thai health networks urge Cabinet to pass a cannabis control bill by July to close legal loopholes and crack down on recreational use, which has surged since flowers were decriminalized in 2021.
May 19, 2025 – At the Department of Thai Traditional Medicine and Alternative Medicine, public health networks led by the Addiction Studies Foundation, Community Risk Reduction Networks, and Youth Health Promotion Networks submitted a letter to Public Health Minister Pattana Prom-Pattana through Dr. Tewanchai Thaneeratana, Deputy Director of the Department of Thai Traditional Medicine and Alternative Medicine, urging accelerated passage of a cannabis control bill through the Cabinet and Parliament. The networks presented five public sector proposals to guide Thailand's cannabis control framework.
Dr. Tewanchai explained that since the drug law amendment, cannabis flowers are no longer classified as narcotics, but extracts containing more than 0.2% THC remain controlled substances. The Public Health Ministry now regulates cannabis as a "controlled herbal medicine" through three rounds of regulatory adjustments to tighten control over its use and distribution.
Currently, cannabis users must have a doctor's prescription, and new cannabis shops can only operate as medical facilities, pharmacies, herbal product retailers, or pharmaceutical manufacturers. This has forced many cannabis shops to close—Thailand previously had over 18,000 shops, but only about 7,000 have renewed licenses. An additional 4,000 shops are expected to close by year-end for non-compliance.
Dr. Tewanchai noted that current law has loopholes as it only regulates those seeking formal licenses. The Health Ministry is therefore accelerating a new cannabis bill to close these gaps. The draft law will require permits for anyone growing, selling, or using cannabis outside medical or research purposes, with penalties of up to one year imprisonment and 20,000 baht fines for recreational users.
The draft bill is currently under government public comment until May 21, followed by 30 days of detailed legislative review. If the timeline holds, the department will submit it to the Cabinet by July. Dr. Tewanchai confirmed that all public sector proposals will be studied and considered by the legislative committee to create comprehensive and balanced legislation.
Meanwhile, Watchrapong Poomchuen, director of the Addiction Studies Foundation, noted that despite some medical benefits over nearly four years since cannabis was removed from the narcotics list, Thailand has faced significant social impacts including recreational use, youth access, community problems, and an unwanted international image as a "Cannabis Destination." The public health networks submitted five key demands to the Health Ministry, including stricter recreational use prohibitions.
