Close X

Asia

Thailand in talks to regulate cannabis instead of criminalizing it again

It’s not easy getting the genie back into the lamp

LiFTED | Marcus Aurelius | 1 Aug 2024


Ever since Thailand decriminalized cannabis in 2022, the streets have been smoking, figuratively and literally. The move has made Thailand the place to be for tourists who want a little bit of rest, relaxation, and reefer. But to the local Thais, things have gotten out of hand because dispensaries have popped out on every corner and people have been enjoying themselves a little too much in a place that offers a lot of enjoyment.

After LiFTED’s April Fool’s prediction, Thailand has been in the process of reversing their decision to legalize cannabis. But for a country with so many islands and a lot of small-level corruption, trying to put the genie back into the bottle seemed like a terrible idea. Now, it seems like level-heads are prevailing and the government will discuss a bill to regulate the cannabis industry.

This bill could be a relief to thousands of growers, dispensary owners, and cannabis users in Thailand. They thought the narcotics board would reclassify cannabis as a narcotic, which means it would be criminalized from 2025 on. Hopefully, the cannabis industry and the government can reach a happy medium and everybody wins.