Pheu Thai Reaffirms Medical Cannabis, Not Recreational Use
Pheu Thai party clarified it supports only medical cannabis, not recreational use, and emphasized the need for strict legislation to regulate cultivation, distribution, and prescription while preventing misuse.
On July 4, 2025, Supachai Iamsumut, a Pheu Thai party list MP, posted on Facebook to clarify that medical cannabis is a fact Thai society should understand and that the party's position remains unchanged. Cannabis has become a heavily debated topic across politics, society, and media, with widespread misunderstanding that Pheu Thai promotes recreational cannabis and caused current problems.
Pheu Thai believes the time has come to present facts clearly. The party's stance has never changed: it supports cannabis for medical and health purposes, not recreation, and cannabis use must operate within clear laws with regulatory systems prioritizing public safety.
Promoting medical cannabis aims to give patients treatment options, support medical research and innovation, and create economic opportunities for farmers and businesses operating legally. However, removing cannabis from the narcotics list alone does not mean unrestricted use should occur. Conversely, Pheu Thai has consistently held that Thailand needs specific legislation tightly regulating cannabis cultivation, production, distribution, advertising, prescription, and use to prevent misuse.
The party's proposed law failed parliament in 2022 due to political reasons. Over two years, cannabis problems emerged from illegal shops, rampant recreational use, and state negligence. Without specific legislation, regulatory gaps exist—a lesson all sides should address together rather than use for political blame.
Pheu Thai believes the correct solution is not denying patients access or medical cannabis benefits, but urgently building efficient regulatory systems, closing legal gaps, and enforcing laws seriously. The party supports clear measures: limiting use to medical purposes, controlling prescriptions by healthcare professionals, prohibiting sales to children and youth, banning misleading advertising, and setting appropriate penalties for violations.
Good public policy must rest on academic evidence, not emotion or fear. Policy decisions should consider medical data, societal concerns, and lessons from past enforcement.
Thailand can become a regional medical cannabis hub with transparent, strong regulatory systems earning public trust in research, drug production, product development, and agricultural value creation. Pheu Thai reaffirms it does not support recreational cannabis but will defend patients' treatment access rights, support medical cannabis use, and push strict legislation protecting society. This position remains constant because our goal is patients' welfare.
