Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Friday (15 Sep) spoke out against the recreational use of cannabis, but said his administration would continue the policies supporting its medical use.
Thailand last year became the first Southeast Asian country to decriminalize cannabis, but within a week of the move, issued a raft of regulations to curb its potential unchecked use, including by children.
The Pheu Thai party leads an 11-party coalition government, which came into power in August. Its largest partner, the Bhumjaithai party, successfully spearheaded decriminalizing cannabis under the last administration. Both parties have said they only support medical use.
The country’s cannabis industry is projected to be worth up to US$1.2 billion over the next few years, with thousands of businesses springing up in tourist hot spots.
The premier said, “Drug abuse is a big problem for the country that’s been under-addressed,” adding that “cannabis has to be used medically”. (NNT)
