Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has announced that all cannabis users will soon be required to present medical certification, part of a regulatory push aimed at curbing recreational consumption and aligning use with medical intent. The directive, initiated by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin, is expected to take effect within 40 days.
This move marks a significant development in the country’s ongoing efforts to regulate cannabis use following its decriminalisation in 2022. While cannabis was removed from the list of narcotic substances under the previous administration, the lack of accompanying controls led to widespread recreational use and a surge in cannabis-related businesses.
Under the forthcoming regulations, individuals—both Thai nationals and foreigners—must provide medical documentation issued by licensed professionals, including practitioners of traditional Thai medicine. The policy aims to reinforce cannabis’s role strictly for therapeutic use. The government is also considering limits on dosage and duration, with use beyond one month potentially disqualifying the user from medical exemption. Penalties, including possible imprisonment, may apply in such cases.
Although a broader cannabis control bill was introduced by the current Pheu Thai-led government last September, legislative progress has stalled. The draft, while softer in tone than previous versions, stops short of explicitly banning recreational use due to political compromise with coalition partner Bhumjaithai, which championed cannabis decriminalisation.
The proposed law would introduce tighter licensing requirements for cultivation, trade, and export of cannabis and its extracts. It also reasserts that cannabis should primarily serve medical, research, food, cosmetic, or herbal purposes, in line with public health priorities.
Public Health Minister Somsak indicated that while formal legislative change may take years, his ministry will move forward with interim regulations under existing authority to control the situation.
Details of the announcement were provided at a press briefing attended by officials including Dr Somlerk Jeungsmarn, director-general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.
