Thailand signals cannabis legislation; reclassification as narcotic off the table
The Prime Minister has agreed that legislation is the appropriate measure to be taken, cannabis will be debated within parliament
Thailand is working to control the use of cannabis through legislation instead of listing it again as a narcotic, according to Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The decision signals yet another political turnaround.
According to Anutin, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin agreed that legislation is the best measure to be taken. Present during the discussions were Minister of Commerce Phumtham Wechayachai, and Prommin Lertsuridej, the Prime Minister's Secretary-General. "It will be a matter of law and will be debated in parliament, where there is already a bill," Prommin told Reuters.
In response to the reclassification of cannabis as a narcotic, a group of pro-cannabis activists went on a hunger strike for about a week. In May, hundreds of business owners, producers, and cannabis activists gathered in Bangkok to protest against the government's decision. According to Anutin, bills will now be discussed to regulate the cannabis industry, in response to the public's demand.
Thailand has seen a rapid growth in the national marijuana retail sector, with tens of thousands of stores and companies emerging in the last two years. According to projections, the market could be worth up to $1.2 billion in 2025.
With information from the Bangkok Post