CANNABIS SUDDENLY LEGAL IN THAILAND: FROM DRUGS TO THOUSANDS OF SHOPS

Anyone who has been to Thailand recently will have noticed something: the prominence of cannabis on the streets. And that is unique for a country in Asia, where an active fondness for cannabis usually gets you a fat jail sentence. Now, cannabis is legal in few countries, but Southeast Asia in particular punishes use and possession severely. Malaysians, for instance, can expect a series of canings and life-long drug tests if caught smoking cannabis. In Thailand, too, the law made cannabis use a pretty illegal activity. Until the summer of 2022. That's when cannabis was suddenly legalised. And that's quite a turnaround, considering how harsh the penalties were. What motivated the Thai government to suddenly change the law and legalise cannabis? And will they change their minds yet? Read all about this unexpected move by the government and how future-proof the law change seems.

By June 2022: cannabis heartily illegal under Thai law

Since 1943, cannabis has been a hard drug in Thailand. If you lit up a joint or bought or sold a bag of weed before June 2022, you could expect hefty penalties. A year's jail time, for example. Not bad, especially when you consider that cannabis use is allowed in our country. But suddenly Thailand changed its mind and cannabis became legal under the law. In all respects: from use to possession, sale and production. In terms of the law surrounding cannabis, Thailand was already a reasonable forerunner in Asia. In fact, they were the first nation to legalise medicinal use, in 2018. But a complete legalisation of cannabis by this country was something no one saw coming.

Why legalisation?

Officially, the Thai government claims they made cannabis legal to reduce crime and boost the economy. The latter in particular seems to be a major motivator for the turnaround. Weed is a booming business. Especially since it attracts an awful lot of tourists. Especially from surrounding Asian nations, where cannabis is still heavily banned.

Thailand is extremely dependent on tourists for income. It is estimated that 10-20% of their national income comes from tourism. In the near future, this will only increase. When corona struck, the country lost 95% of its tourists at one point. Hotels had an average occupancy rate of less than 10%. For many Thai businesses, the years following the first COVID cases were dramatic, but of course also for Thai government revenues.

The law change was also good news for those previously convicted of cannabis offences. The moment Thailand introduced the new law and made cannabis legal, thousands of prisoners who had been detained for cannabis-related offences were released. Producers were also able to reclaim their confiscated mountains of cannabis.

Plenty of opponents

While many people inside and outside Thailand applaud the new cannabis law, plenty of opponents can also be found. Supporters claim the change in the law fits with the country's new progressive direction and point to its public health potential.

But there are also plenty of criticisms to consider. For instance, the Thai is notorious in traffic, with 20,000 annual road deaths. Out of 70 million inhabitants, that's quite a lot. It earns the country a top-10 position in global statistics in terms of road deaths. One of the reasons why there are so many accidents is drink-driving. Something that is barely checked by police and, moreover, is considered normal by the population. It is mainly alcohol that affects the Thai's driving ability, but the combination with cannabis is not likely to improve driving skills. Driving requires you to be sharp of mind, certainly not a luxury on Thai roads.

A second criticism from opponents is that the legalisation of cannabis and the current cannabis culture normalises use too much. And that can be dangerous for young people and minors, whose developing brains should prefer to stay far away from substances.

New Thai cannabis law under review

Opponents of the law are unlikely to have to take to the barricades again, as the fun seems to be over soon. The country's newest prime minister has already announced plans to amend the law. From now on, cannabis would only be allowed to be used by people with a medical need. Recreational use will thus no longer be allowed. He says he will amend the law within six months. So those who want to legally enjoy a jonko or spacecake on a tropical beach should book soon.