A few quick things about cannabis legality as we are being asked alot. For context see our prior article here:
-The regulatory changes, primarily requiring customers to have a prescription, will not be enforced for 30-90 days to give shops time to adjust. This could change by province and area.
-Cannabis is not recriminalized, banned, or a narcotic again-for now. There are distant proposals to do this but they would be fought vehemently and would need a lot more actions than the current sudden regulatory change. The current health minister said in meetings this weekend with business owners and activists he will not rush to make it a narcotic again unless shops ignore the new rules and don’t issue prescriptions.
-There are no current penalties for USERS being caught without a prescription. It is also under Ministry of Health jurisdiction, not criminal. If it became a narcotic again that would change. Only sellers face fines and legal issues for selling without a prescription.
-This is also because growing at home for self consumption is still legal and doesn’t need a prescription.
-Police are not drug testing people or throwing them in jail for cannabis again, as it is not a narcotic. For now.
-Cannabis dispensaries will be able to certify staff with a traditional Thai medical practitioner through online courses. They will then be able to legally issue certificates which will have dosage requirements and limits. You do NOT have to only get a prescription from full fledged medical doctors at hospitals. Even pharmacists and dentists can write prescriptions. Most shops will adjust to be able to immediately write prescriptions on site without a complicated process, like pharmacies. This is also why shops are being given a leeway period to get staff certified.
-Various conditions apply for a prescription including insomnia, anxiety/stress, and depression.
-A lot of the things people say are “new” have always been banned. Public smoking, smoking in shops, advertising, selling online, have been banned for years. Enforcement is a different matter. It is unclear if there will be stricter enforcement on these items or not at this time and again most of the jurisdiction falls not under police but the ministry of public health….unless it becomes a narcotic again.
-All of this could also change suddenly based on the status of the current government which is seeing significant protests. This information is also subject to change.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
