The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand announced on Thursday 9th June that cannabis and hemp had been removed from the category 5 drug list.
This means the production importation, exportation, distribution, possession, and medicinal consumption of cannabis is now allowed.
In addition, some 3,000 inmates convicted of cannabis-related crimes will be released, while another 1,000 or so cannabis-related court cases preceding 9th June will be terminated and detainees serving time due to the inability to pay fines will also be discharged.
New changes
Back in 2019, the government in Thailand took its first step toward the legalisation of cannabis when they allowed residents to consume it for medicinal purposes, and last year they approved cannabis as an additive to food and drinks – including traditional Thai dishes.
New regulations mean cannabis and hemp (and cannabis extracts contain less than 0.2% of THC) are no longer part of the country’s narcotics list.
It also means that those who have a criminal record due to cannabis will have it deleted from the criminal database, and defendants awaiting court rulings will have their cases apprehended. However, they’ll still have to stand in court to hear their rulings.
Justice Minister, Somask Thepsuthin, said:
“The Corrections Department has prepared some paperwork in advance in order to facilitate the courts to issue release orders,”
But, people who’ve been convicted and sentenced for any other offences were not spared jail time. Instead, officials will amend their sentence by solely removing the cannabis-related convictions.
According to Thai PBS World, around 110 million Thai Baht that was seized by officials under the anti-money laundering regulations will be returned to its previous owners.
People will now also have the ability to claim back their share of 16 tonnes of seized cannabis which is currently awaiting destruction.
A mixed reception
Although the Thai government has made cannabis legal, they still don’t support recreational use of the plant.
A person may find themselves serving three months in prison and a 25,000 baht (£589) fine if found guilty of a new legislation labelled “public nuisance”. This simply means if a person is agitated by the smell of someone else’s cannabis smoke, they can report it to the authorities.
Commercial cultivation without a legitimate license is also forbidden.
Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise the use of cannabis, and while many people support the changes, there are obviously critics who have raised their concerns.
Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise the use of cannabis, and while many people support the changes, there are obviously critics who have raised their concerns.
Thai residents had mixed emotions on the release of detainees – fearing they could create more addicts or commit new crimes.
While there still may be some strict policies and many people who aren’t backing the new laws, Thailand has took a giant leap towards cultivating the use of cannabis into their society.
