"The new bill will be amended from the existing one to only allow the use of cannabis for health and medicinal purposes," Chonlanan Srikaew told reporters. "The use for fun is considered wrong."
The Thai government is set to swiftly introduce legislation to prohibit the recreational consumption of cannabis, announced the health minister on Tuesday. This action follows the decriminalization of the drug in 2022, when cannabis was removed from the list of banned substances by the previous administration, which included the pro-legalization Bhumjaithai party.
The legalization led to the proliferation of numerous cannabis dispensaries across the country, particularly in Bangkok, sparking concerns among critics who advocated for stricter regulations. Addressing these concerns, the health minister revealed that a new bill, aimed at outlawing the recreational use of cannabis, will be presented at the cabinet meeting scheduled for next week.
"The new bill will be amended from the existing one to only allow the use of cannabis for health and medicinal purposes," Chonlanan Srikaew told reporters. "The use for fun is considered wrong."
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who assumed office last August, has consistently expressed his opposition to the recreational consumption of the drug, advocating for its exclusive medicinal use.
Fresh public outcry emerged over the weekend when attendees of British rock band Coldplay's concerts in Bangkok took to social media to express their discontent, citing that "the entire concert smelled like marijuana."