Thailand’s Policy U-Turn: Reclassifying Marijuana as a Controlled Substance | WPN World People News

In 2022, Thailand became the first Asian country to legalize recreational use of marijuana.

However, the current Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, announced on May 8th that the country plans to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance by the end of this year. The initial legalization led to significant growth in the cannabis industry, with an estimated value of $1.2 billion by 2025. Unfortunately, the rushed process of decriminalization resulted in a lack of proper regulations, leading to social chaos.

Prime Minister Thavisin emphasized the need to correct the existing marijuana policy. He called for stricter definitions of drug possession and a focus on using marijuana solely for health and medical purposes. Thavisin expressed concern about drug addiction among young people and stressed the importance of seizing assets from drug traffickers and expanding drug rehabilitation measures.

On social media platform “X,” Thavisin wrote, "I hope the Ministry of Health will revise relevant rules to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance. We should promptly issue regulations allowing marijuana only for health and medical purposes. The drug problem can undermine our country’s future, especially when it comes to youth addiction. We must act swiftly and enhance drug rehabilitation efforts."