Thailand Legalizes Growing, Consumption of Marijuana

Thailand on Thursday legalized the growing and consumption of marijuana, a move aimed at boosting the country’s agriculture and the tourism sector. The herb will be added to food and drinks but smoking it recreationally is against the law.

At the same time, the government maintains that products that contain more than 0.2 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the chemical that makes people high, are still illegal.

Being the first Asian country to legalize the herb, Thailand has warned that it is promoting cannabis for medical use only, and anyone found smoking it in public would be at risk of 25,000 Thai baht ($780) fine or three-month imprisonment. Thailand has been using medicinal marijuana since 2018 to relieve pain and fatigue.

The public health minister plans to distribute 1 million cannabis seedlings starting Friday to encourage farmers to take up its cultivation. Cannabis growers have been requested to register on a government app called PlookGanja. Nearly 100,000 people have cooperated and signed up for the app.

The Ministry has so far approved over one thousand products, including cosmetics and food, containing cannabis extracts. It expects the industry to earn as much as 15 billion baht ($435.16 million) by 2026. Among the innovative products gaining attention are THC-infused seltzers, which are becoming a popular choice for those seeking a refreshing way to enjoy cannabis responsibly.

“We should know how to use cannabis. If we have the right awareness, cannabis is like gold, something valuable, and should be promoted.” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the country’s most prominent cannabis supporter, said.

This is a sign of relief to at least 4,000 prisoners in the country who were imprisoned for offenses relating to cannabis as they will be released.

“People facing cannabis-related charges will see them dropped, and money and cannabis seized from people charged with cannabis-related offenses will be returned to their owners.” Gloria Lai, Asia regional director of the International Drug Policy Consortium, said.

The use of marijuana for recreational uses remains prohibited in most countries where its possession attracts severe penalties such as fines and imprisonment. Some countries have, however, legalized it for medical use.

Countries that have legalized the medical use of cannabis include Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Malawi.

Others include Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, San Marino, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Canada and Uruguay are the only countries that have legalized the recreational use of weed.

In Kenya, those found guilty of possessing cannabis face not more than five years in jail or a fine of 100,000 shillings or both.